Sacramento Kings - Golden State Warriors

USA - NBA, Playoffs, Western conference first round

The Sacramento Kings have made the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. They finished regular season in third place in the Western Conference at 48-34. Head coach Mike Brown has completely changed the course of this franchise and will surely be the NBA Coach of the Year. De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are two most important players in his system, while Malik Monk, Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter also play a prominent role. In the regular season, the Sacramento Kings were the best offense in the NBA with an offensive rating 118.6. They showed this magnificent potential in the first game against the Golden State Warriors by scoring 126 points.

The reigning NBA champions had plenty of problems throughout the regular season. Andrew Wiggins is back after a two-month absence and his contribution could be crucial in the quest for another ring. Klay Thompson looks better than he did last year at this time, while Steph Curry can always destroy any opponent. The Warriors' offense is up to the task. They have the most assisted points per game (69.1%) and play at the fastest pace. Jonathan Kuminga wasn’t a factor in the first game against the Sacramento Kings and that could change this time as he has been in fantastic form the last couple of months.

It's hard to imagine the Golden State Warriors trailing 2-0 after first two games. Comparing their experience with the Sacramento Kings is illusory. They controlled the first game until the end of the third quarter when they allowed a 15-4 run. This time, we shouldn't expect many black minutes for Steve Kerr's team, and the focus will be on a much higher level than in game number one. All important parameters are on visitors side and it will be a real surprise if they lose again.