On April 17, the NBA playoffs will officially begin. The Sacramento Kings, ranked 9th in the West, will meet the 10th-ranked Golden State Warriors in a do-or-die knockout battle. The loser will say goodbye to the regular season for good, and the winner will still have to play the losers of the Lakers and Pelicans to determine another playoff spot.
The Warriors have a 46-36 record in the regular season this season and were threatened by the Houston Rockets for a playoff spot due to a poor first half of the season. Fortunately, after the All-Star break, the Warriors found their form, winning 16 of their 21 games to secure a play-in spot.
The Kings missed out on a good situation, losing five of their final seven games of the regular season, including a three-game losing streak. The poor form in the final minute left the Kings in 9th place in the West, and they need to win two play-in games to qualify for the playoffs.
The biggest problem for the Kings at the moment is injuries, and the absence of Huerter and Monk will greatly reduce their backcourt. Once Fox is restricted, the Kings will be in a very passive position in this play-off game. The X on the Warriors' side is the ability to control turnovers, and as long as the turnovers are controlled at a reasonable level, the Warriors, who are more well-staffed, will be the more dominant side in this game.
The two teams had to tie-break in the first round of the playoffs last season, and the Warriors eliminated the Kings in a tie-break to reach the semifinals. Compared to last season's playoffs, this play-off game is a winner-lose contest, with more fortuitous factors in the game, and a few three-pointers, a few turnovers or a few key rebounds can have a big impact on the outcome of the game.
The two teams have met four times during the regular season this season, winning two each. The Warriors averaged 120 points per game in those four games, while the Kings scored 118.3 points. The last three games between the two sides have all ended by one point.
The play-off California Civil War will be played on April 17 at 10 a.m. Beijing time, when CCTV Sports will broadcast the matchup live. Win or go home? For both the Warriors and the Kings, there is no way back, and the two sides are expected to stage a wonderful matchup.