The Kings and Warriors renew their budding rivalry in Sacramento’s 2023-24 home opener Friday night at Golden 1 Center.
The last time the two Northern California foes played a meaningful game, the Warriors stormed into Golden 1 Center and came away with a stunning NBA playoffs first-round Game 7 victory behind a historic 50-point Steph Curry performance.
Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers, who now is an ESPN NBA analyst, believes the Kings need to make something very clear in the first regular-season meeting between the two teams.
“We had a regular season game a few years ago and Draymond [Green] was all hopped up running around,” Myers said on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” during a conversation about whether the Kings or the Boston Celtics [facing the Miami Heat] needed a win more Friday against their respective opponent. “I said, ‘What are you so excited about? This is Game 15.’ He said ‘We are going to kill this team.’ Maybe it was Memphis coming in. He said ‘We are going to erase any hope that they have that they can beat us.’ That’s what has to happen in Sacramento tonight and in Boston.
“Miami ended their season on their home court by 19. If that doesn’t bother you? Warriors ended the Kings season [in] Game 7. You need to send a message to these teams, the Kings to the Warriors — I hate saying that, by the way — and the Celtics to the Heat … that basically, that’s not happening this year. That’s not happening this year. It’s Game 2 but they can send that message where the Celtics are saying ‘You beat us. That’s not going to happen in the playoffs.’ “
The Kings had home-court advantage over the Warriors in their first-round playoff series in April, but Golden State won Games 5 and 7 in Sacramento.
Now, in Myers’ eyes, it’s time for the Kings to re-establish their home court dominance over the Warriors.
But Myers isn’t the only ESPN analyst that wants to see something from the Kings against the Warriors.
“I think Sacramento could actually be the one-seed for the regular season in the West,” ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said. “They are going to care about this. They need to care about it. They’ve got Golden State in front of them tonight. I want to see what Sacramento [does]. I think they’ve got a complete team. They brought everybody back. They’re not changing things.”
The Kings won their season opener Wednesday in Utah, and now they welcome the Warriors to town Friday night with a lot to prove on this night and this season.
