3 Teams the Kings absolutely do not want to face in the Play-In Tournament

2. The Golden State Warriors 

No one wants to face Stephen Curry in an elimination game. The Golden State Warriors are not the same team they used to be, but Curry is still a nightmare to deal with, and he has finally gotten some help. Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as a true two-way force. In previous meetings, the Kings struggled with his athleticism. 

While Kings fans would certainly love to boo Draymond Green, Domantas Sabonis probably wouldn’t mind if he didn’t have to go up against him in a single-elimination game. 

Since the tough first-round series they played in last year’s playoffs, the league has been pushing the narrative of a Kings-Warriors rivalry, featuring the two teams several times this season and during NBA Rivals Week. 

Not all the players are ready to embrace that quite yet—primarily because the Warriors are one of the great dynasties while the Kings only have one playoff series on their resume so far— but there is no denying that the Warriors bring their A-Game every time they face the Kings. 

The Warriors currently hold the last Play-In spot, but they could move up, or the Kings could move down, leading to the chance of a tough matchup better avoided.