What we realized as Warriors’ season ends with play-in loss to Kings initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
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SACRAMENTO – Identical to that, the Warriors’ 2023-24 NBA season is over.
One yr after taking part in the function of villain and sending the Sacramento Kings packing into the offseason following a seven-game first-round NBA playoff sequence win, Golden State discovered itself on the alternative finish of the spectrum throughout Tuesday’s play-in recreation at Golden 1 Middle.
Stephen Curry scored 22 factors however dedicated six turnovers, a problem that plagued your complete Warriors roster, and Golden State might by no means catch up after falling into an early large gap, dropping to the Kings 118-94.
It’s the primary time because the 2020-21 season that the Warriors did not make it to the playoffs.
The Kings advance to tackle the New Orleans Pelicans at 6:30 p.m. PT on Friday at Smoothie King Middle with the No. 8 seed and a date with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on the road.
Klay Thompson, who missed all of that yr with an Achilles harm, was held scoreless in what may very well be his ultimate recreation in a Warriors’ uniform. The 34-year-old five-time All-Star has not acquired a contract extension from the one NBA staff that he’s ever performed for and is ready to turn out to be an unrestricted free agent.
Jonathan Kuminga shook off a sluggish begin and completed with 16 factors and 7 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins has 12 factors however was a minus-25. Draymond Inexperienced added 12 factors, three rebounds, six assists and two steals.
The 2 Northern California rivals break up the 4 regular-season video games and completed with the identical file however the Kings held the tiebreaker based mostly on having a greater division file.
That was important as a result of the Warriors fell behind early, which allowed the pro-Kings crowd to get raucous and loud all through the night time.
The pissed off Warriors had been serenaded by chants of “Gentle the beam” as they walked off the courtroom after the sport ended.
It was a very totally different ambiance than the one which flowed out of Golden 1 Middle final season when the Warriors gained an exhilarating seven-game sequence within the Kings’ first playoff look after an NBA-record 16-year drought.
Golden State went into the day with a whole lot of momentum, having gained 10 of 12. However all the nice emotions disappeared rapidly as soon as Sacramento took management within the first quarter and by no means seemed again.
Listed below are the takeaways from Tuesday’s recreation:
Splash brothers dry up
On an evening when the Warriors had been out of sync offensively for a lot of the sport, not even two of their greatest scoring choices had been capable of get a lot going.
Numerous instances Curry appeared rushed to get his shot off whereas at different instances it seemed like he was simply doing no matter he might to get a shot up. The 2-time NBA scoring champ shot a good 8 of 16 general and was 3 of seven behind the arc
Thompson, who has epitomized the Warriors’ up-and-down theme throughout the 2023-24 season, missed all 10 pictures he tried, together with six tries behind the arc.
It’s the second time this season that Thompson has been been held scoreless. He additionally failed to attain towards the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 11, 2023.
A step sluggish
The Kings established a frenetic tempo early within the first half that the Warriors had hassle making an attempt to maintain up with.
Golden State, the NBA’s prime rebounding staff throughout the common season, received crushed on the boards which opened up the door for Sacramento to steal some wanted second-chance factors.
That introduced much more vitality to an already super-hyped crowd at Golden 1 Middle, and the Kings thrived off that vitality.
The Warriors dedicated 16 turnovers that led to twenty factors for the Kings. The Kings additionally held a 37-15 benefit in second-chance factors and fastbreak factors.
Too many open seems to be
Time and time once more the Warriors left Kings’ shooters huge open, particularly within the nook. Sacramento, which has had related issues of its personal all year long, took full benefit and transformed virtually each time that Golden State’s protection received caught sleeping.
Early on, the Dubs’ incapacity to correctly shut out allowed Keegan Murray to get going. Murray, one of many Kings’ greatest perimeter shooters, dropped 14 factors and canned 4 3s within the first quarter.
The development of permitting Sacramento to get open seems to be continued within the second half, and that performed a job in Golden State being unable to essentially get its transition recreation going. That was pivotal as a result of Golden State was doing a reasonably first rate job scoring and defending the paint. On the perimeter it was a completely totally different story for each groups.
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