A Royal Pain
Fansided

Sacramento Kings must watch game vs Golden State Warriors Feb. 2

By Tyler Watts

OAKLAND, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks to pass the ball while guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA Basketball game at ORACLE Arena on February 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks to pass the ball while guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA Basketball game at ORACLE Arena on February 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

On August 14, the NBA released their schedule. This article looks at a must watch game between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors.

The Sacramento Kings’ regular season schedule for the 2017-2018 NBA season dropped on August 14.  The announcement gave us another reason to get excited about the coming campaign.  The great rookie class and the three veteran additions finally know who they will face on opening night.

We at A Royal Pain decided to outline the must watch games for the Kings this season.  Today, we look at the first night the defending NBA Champions visit the Golden 1 Center.  The Golden State Warriors first visit is on Feb. 2 or game 51 of 82 in the Kings schedule if you prefer.  Let us take a look at the three big storylines to follow in this contest.

Storyline 1: Dubs continue their historic run

The Golden State Warriors look to continue their incredible run under Coach Steve Kerr.  Since Kerr took over in 2014, the Warriors have played in three straight NBA finals and won two championships.  The only year they failed to win the title, they broke the all-time regular season wins record.  It has been a fantastic run and a real spectacle to watch.

Related Story: How the Sacramento Kings are building a potential Superteam

The Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers are developing a historic rivalry too.  The two squads have met three straight seasons in the NBA finals and produced plenty of memorable moments.  LeBron James will yet again be primed to stop Stephen Curry and the Warriors from repeating.  No two teams have played in three straight finals, but unprecedented fourth meeting appears on the horizon this year.

The Warriors have the target on their back, but it will take an exceptional team to beat this group.  Sit back and enjoy the show on Feb. 2 as Golden State has entertainment value every time they take the floor.

Storyline 2: Defending Durant

Kevin Durant was the Warriors massive acquisition last offseason and he took the team to another level.  They became the big four and a seemingly unbeatable blend of offensive talent and defensive versatility.  Sure, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green can all take over the game and be impossible to stop, but Durant will be the biggest thorn in the Kings side.

The Kings have a capable defender to matchup on the other three, but who guards Durant is a difficult question to answer.  The 6’9 combo forward is an impossible cover with his length and shooting ability.  The Kings best bets to guard Durant are Bogdan Bogdanovic (an experienced rookie from overseas, but a rookie none the less), Garrett Temple, or Vince Carter.  Not a great trio guard one of the game’s most efficient offensive players.  Expect a big night for KD on February 2.

Storyline 3: Worst matchup for Sacramento

I mentioned Golden State’s success in recent seasons, and you all know about Sacramento’s struggles, but this is possibly the worst matchup for the Kings.  Duh, the best team in the NBA is the hardest to match up with, but the beatings go back to before Kerr came to Oakland.  Since the start of the 2013-2014 season, the Warriors have defeated the Kings in 15 of the 16 meetings.  To make matters worse, the average margin of victory for the Dubs is 16.53 points.  They not only beat the Kings but often blow them out.

Can Sacramento change the script this season?  George Hill represents the best defender Sacramento has employed to guard perennial MVP candidate Steph Curry.  That is a positive, but I am not going to attempt to deceive you in this article.  The Warriors are the better team by a significant margin.  Hopefully, the Kings bring their A game on Feb. 2 and knock off a historically great team, but do not bet the family farm on it happening.

Final Thoughts

An absolute must watch Sacramento Kings game in the upcoming season is the Feb. 2 clash against the Golden State Warriors.  The Golden 1 Center will be rocking with the defending champs in town and Sacramento will need your support to knock off this fantastic team.  Any night you can watch Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, two of the best players of this generation, play basketball is a good night in my book.

I am excited about the upcoming Kings season and you should be too.  We are nearing the end of our must watch games series, but stay tuned for the two remaining contest.

Next: Best NBA free agents still available

A Royal Pain is your one stop shop for all things Sacramento Kings.  We have a ton of draft, free agency and summer league articles up on the site.  We will now shift our focus to all the content you need to prepare for the upcoming season, so please check back with us often.  Thank you for reading.

Home/Kings News