Getty Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Friday’s meeting between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings could’ve been a hint of what’s to come in this season’s playoffs. The two teams seem to be on a collision course for a Western Conference first-round matchup, with the Warriors hovering around the sixth seed, and the Kings locked into the third seed.
Should the opening round bring a battle between Northern California teams, then Sacramento will not be backing down, that is, if you ask Kings forward Chimezie Metu.
Following the Dubs, 119-97 victory at the Golden 1 Center, Metu told reporters that his team is “not scared” of the Warriors, or anyone else, for that matter.
“They’re the defending champs. It’s going to be tough to go in there and go toe-to-toe,” he said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “But we’re going to go in there and attack it head-on. We’re not scared of them. We’re not scared of anybody, one [seed] through eight [seed].”
“We’re not scared of them, we’re not scared of anybody.”
Metu on potentially facing the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs
On the season, the Dubs have taken 3-of-the-4 meetings between the two clubs. However, they have yet to down the Kings on the road, while they’re at full strength. Friday’s win in Sac-Town came while both DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis were resting for the Pacific Division champions.
Charles Barkley, Kendrick Perkins Predict Kings to Down Warriors
Metu isn’t the only one with firm believe in the Kings. Both Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins have made claims that Sacramento will get past Golden State in a playoff matchup.
Most recently, it was Barkley who decided to roll with the Kings.
“The Sacramento Kings are going to win a playoff series,” Barkley said on TNT’s NBA Tip-Off on April 6. “Guaranteed! They’re going to be playing the Warriors or the [Los Angeles] Lakers, that’s a tough first-round series. They gon’ win a series.”
About a month ago, Perkins shared a similar viewpoint, saying that the Warriors had “better stay the hell away from” the Kings.
“I’m going to say this right now,” Perk prefaced on the March 13 edition of ESPN’s First Take. “They’d better stay the hell away from the Sacramento Kings, because no matter how young that Kings group is, no matter how inexperience they be when it comes to the postseason, they have old souls… The Sacramento Kings are going to the Western Conference Finals. The Golden State Warriors, their championship days are over.”
“The Golden State Warriors, their championship days are OVER!”
Klay Thompson Thinks Health Warriors Are Unbeatable
While many seem to not believe in the Warriors, star guard Klay Thompson has a different viewpoint on the team’s hopes to repeat as champions.
In fact, after the win over the Kings, he told reporters that he’s not sure anyone can beat Golden State, when they’re completely healthy.
“I will say we have to value the ball more, take great shots and communicate on defense,” Thompson said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “If we do those three things, I don’t see a team who can beat us in a seven-game series when we’re healthy. So if we do those three things going forward, I think we’ll be in a great position to repeat.”
1. Value the ball more
2. Take great shots
3. Communicate on defense
“If we do those three things going forward, I think we’ll be in great position to repeat.” – Klay