The Sacramento Kings will make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season. They have done a fantastic job in 2023 and will enter the playoffs as the third-seeded team in the Western Conference.
The West is very competitive, which is why the Kings still don't know who their first-round opponent is going to be. However, chances are that they will match up against the Golden State Warriors, another team from California.
While the Kings are very young and lack playoff experience, they are not afraid to face the Dubs, which is what Chimezie Metu recently confirmed.
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The Sacramento Kings have no problem playing against the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are 43-38 and will most likely finish the regular season as the sixth seed in the conference. While they haven't played well this season, it's important to note that they are still defending champions.
The Dubs will be a tough opponent for any team in the playoffs and there is no doubt that they have much more experience than the Sacramento Kings. However, the Kings are not scared of them and have a lot of confidence going into the playoffs.
Here's what Chimezie Metu, the Kings' backup big man, said regarding a potential matchup with the Warriors:
“They’re the defending champs,” Metu said. “It’s going to be tough to go in there and get toe-to-toe, but we’re going to attack it head on. We’re not scared of them. We’re not scared of anybody, one through eight.
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"We’re just going to go in there. We feel like when we’re at full health, we can go in there and beat them. That’s what we’re going to do," Metu added.
There is no doubt that the Sacramento Kings have been a much better team in the regular season. However, Steph Curry and his squad have won four championships since 2015, which is why it's hard to count them out.
Since they are both in the Pacific division, the Kings and the Warriors have played against each other four times this season. The Warriors ended up winning three of these matchups, including the matchup on Friday night.
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The only victory the Sacramento Kings had was by seven points, 122-115, back in November 2022. The Warriors should be 100% healthy by the time the playoffs start, so it will be interesting to see how far they go this year.
All 15 NBA teams play on Sunday, and both the Kings and the Warriors will find out their first-round opponents late in the night.
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