Locker room reaction: Kings can ‘make a statement’ in NBA playoff matchup with Warriors
Word spread quickly in visitor’s locker room at Ball Arena in Denver on Sunday afternoon as the Kings learned they would play the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
The Kings have lived in the Warriors’ shadow for years since their own golden era ended in 2006. Now, the Kings are back, and it’s the Warriors — the defending NBA champions — who stand in their way.
“Honestly, man, their team is pretty good,” Kings guard Terence Davis said. “But what’s a better way to kind of force your will or what better way is there to make a statement than to play them and kind of prove to everybody that this season wasn’t a fluke, that we’re a team that’s capable of doing anything, like winning an NBA championship.
“So, we’re all for it, man, honestly. They’ve been our big brothers for the last I don’t know how many years. It will be good to beat up on them, but it’s going to be tough. It won’t be easy.”
The Kings will play Game 1 in their seven-game series against the Warriors at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The Kings (48-34) enter the Western Conference playoffs as the No. 3 seed with a first-round matchup against the sixth-seeded Warriors, who won their fourth NBA championship in nine years last season. The Kings have homecourt advantage with Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5 and 7 to be played in Sacramento.
The Warriors (44-38) struggled at times during the regular season, but they’ve won eight of 10 and should be at full strength with Gary Payton II and Andrew Wiggins returning to join Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green.
The Kings are No. 1 in the NBA in offensive rating (118.6) and No. 24 in defensive rating (116). The Warriors are No. 10 in offensive rating (115.1) and No. 14 in defensive rating (113.4).
Golden State ranks No. 1 in 3-point attempts (38.5) and No. 2 in 3-point percentage (.385). Sacramento is sixth in 3-point attempts (37.3) and eighth in in percentage (.369).
“It’s going to be a fun series,” Kings guard Kevin Huerter said. “The style of play that both teams play is extremely up and down. We’re not going to have to travel very far. They’re not going to have to travel very far, so we’re looking forward to it.”
The Kings are making their first playoff appearance since 2006. Harrison Barnes won a championship with the Warriors, Matthew Dellavedova won one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Huerter went to the Eastern Conference finals with the Atlanta Hawks. Domantas Sabonis has been to the playoffs three times, once as a little-used rookie with the Oklahoma City Thunder and twice with the Indiana Pacers, but he never advanced past the first round.
Beyond that, the Kings don’t have much playoff experience, but they do have a stage for players like De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Keegan Murray to show their stuff in prime time.
“This is our first collective playoff experience together,” Barnes said. “So, regardless of who we play, I think it’s about us stepping up our level of play, looking in the mirror, and saying, ‘Look, we know we played 82 games. We know everybody in this league. How can we go and make ourselves better?’”
Huerter is looking forward to that opportunity.
“They’re a good team. We’re a good team,” Huerter said. “Our styles of play are very similar. Both teams like to get up and down, get out in transition and shoot a lot of 3s, so it should be fun.”
