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In what could very well wind up being a playoff preview, the Golden State Warriors were able to handedly take care of the Sacramento Kings. The only difference between Friday’s win and a potential playoff meeting, was that the Kings rested both DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Against a shorthanded Sacramento side, Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors. He poured in a game-high 29 points, while making 11-of-19 attempts from the field.
After Golden State’s 119-97 win over this season’s Pacific Division champions, Thompson issued a bold prediction for the Dubs’ pending postseason run.
“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.”
Thompson’s keys to victory are pretty on-the-nose. Golden State averages the most turnovers per game in the NBA, alongside the Houston Rockets, at about 16.3. On top of that, their defensive rating leaves plenty to be desired. The Warriors rank 17th in that category with a rating of 113.7.
However, their efficiency hasn’t hindered them too much this season. Golden State ranks 12th in terms of overall field goal percentage, at 47.7%, and second in 3-point percentage, at 38.3%.
Steve Kerr Drops Strong Praise on Warriors’ Kevon Looney
Another driving force behind the Warriors’ success in Sacramento was the inspired play of Kevon Looney. Looney ripped down a whopping 16 rebounds in the victory over the Kings.
Later on, he was on the receiving end of some big-time praise from Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
“I don’t know what else to say about Loon,” Kerr said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “He’s established himself as one of the best rebounders in the league. Also, as one of the most reliable players in the league. Night after night, just being there for us. He’s also a stabilizer. We have a team that can kind of lose poise like you saw tonight, 24 turnovers. We had some really bad possessions, and Loon is a stabilizing force. He had seven assists tonight. Only one turnover. Sixteen rebounds. Loon is just one of our best players.”
Charles Barkley Guarantees Kings Beat Warriors in Playoffs
Again, the Warriors and Kings seem to be on a collision course for a first-round meeting in this season’s playoffs. Golden State currently holds the fifth seed in the Western Conference, but is only a half game up on the Los Angeles Clippers, who hold the tiebreaker between the two.
Should both teams win-out, then the Dubs will have a date with the third-seeded Kings.
If that happens, the Warriors can cross Charles Barkley off of the list of people who believe in them. During Thursday’s edition of TNT’s NBA Tip Off, Barkley guaranteed the Kings would get past the Warriors, or Los Angeles Lakers, in the opening round of the postseason.
“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 Lakers, that’s a tough first-round series. They gon’ win a series.”
