The Sacramento Kings ended their 16-year playoff drought and their reward is a first-round matchup with the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Finishing the regular season with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Kings took the league by storm this season with their high-octane offense and they’ll need to be dialed in against a Warriors team that has their number in terms of playoff experience.
Despite being the No. 6 seed, the Warriors will fancy their chances with a short road trip to Sacramento, as they look to become the lowest-seeded team to win a championship since the No. 6 seed Houston Rockets in 1995.
In a classic battle of youth vs. experience, there will be no shortage of entertainment in this all-California matchup.
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Kings vs. Warriors 2022-23 regular season series
The Warriors won the regular season series 3-1.
- Oct. 23, 2022: Warriors 130, Kings 125
- Nov. 7, 2022: Warriors 116, Kings 113
- Nov. 13, 2023: Kings 122, Warriors 115
- April. 7, 2023: Warriors 119, Kings 97
Outside of the last matchup of the season which saw the short-handed Kings without Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox lose in a blowout, the first three meetings were tightly contested, with an average margin of victory just five points.
Kings. vs. Warriors key storyline: Andrew Wiggins’ return, 3-point battle
As many matchups involving the Golden State Warriors go, the 3-point shooting will tell the story of this series.
Not many teams would feel comfortable getting into a shootout with the Warriors, but the Kings might be one of the best-equipped teams to fight fire with fire against the Splash Brothers and co.
Golden State finished the regular season averaging the most 3-point makes per game (16.6), with the Kings ranked fifth with 13.3.
Behind their No. 1 ranked offense (118.6 points per 100 possessions) the Kings can put points up in a hurry, while the Warriors boast the fastest pace in the league this season.
All signs point to this series being one for the gunslingers, with five of the 20 players to hit at least 200 threes this season all featuring in this series in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Kevin Huerter, and Keegan Murray.
| Player | Rank | Team | 3-pointers made |
| Klay Thompson | 1 | Warriors | 301 |
| Stephen Curry | 3 | Warriors | 273 |
| Jordan Poole | 9 | Warriors | 214 |
| Keegan Murray | 15 | Kings | 206 |
| Kevin Huerter | 16 | Kings | 205 |
Andrew Wiggins’ return looms as one of the major keys to this series with his ability to defend the perimeter a game-changer for Golden State.
Wiggins has slowly ramped up his workload, participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages over the weekend, with the expectation he’ll be ready to suit up for Game 1 on Saturday.
It’s worth noting, the Warriors’ defense looked much better across their final 10 games, and adding Wiggins back into the mix will give them a huge boost in dealing with the likes of Fox, Murray, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, and Keegan Murray, especially on the road, where they’ve allowed opponents to shoot a scorching 40.1 percent from beyond the arc, compared to just 33 percent at Chase Center.
Kings vs. Warriors schedule, TV channels
The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs begins on April 15.
The full schedule hasn’t yet been released for each first-round series, but each game will be televised on either TNT, ESPN, ABC or NBA TV.
Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA’s biggest playoff games on Sling TV, which is now offering HALF OFF your first month! Stream Sling Orange for $20 in your first month to catch all the games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $27.50 in your first month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.
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| Date | Game | Time | TV channel |
| Saturday, April 15 | Game 1 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| TBD | Game 2 | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Game 3 | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Game 4 | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Game 5 | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Game 6 | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | Game 7 | TBD | TBD |
Suns vs. Clippers odds
Kings: -1 (-105)
Warriors: +1 (-115)
Odds provided by DraftKings.
Kings v. Warriors predictions
Gilbert McGregor: Warriors in six
Kyle Irving: Warriors in six
Carlan Gay: Warriors in five
Benyam Kidane: Warriors in six
Micah Adams: Warriors in six
Joseph Corr: Warriors in six