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The Sacramento Kings may be the no. 3 seed in the West, but they find themselves in familiar territory as they enter the 2023 NBA Playoffs as heavy underdogs against the Golden State Warriors. It's rare to see the third-best team in the conference be this much of an underdog against a lower-seeded opponent in the first round, but that only speaks volume of how good the Dubs have been. With that said, as we continue our postseason series, we now make our Kings vs. Warriors prediction and pick.
2023 NBA Playoffs: Kings vs. Warriors Series Schedule
Game 1: Warriors @ Kings - April 15
Game 2: Warriors @ Kings - April 17
Game 3: Kings @ Warriors - April 20
Game 4: Kings @ Warriors - April 23
Game 5: Warriors @ Kings April 26 (If necessary)
Game 6: Kings @ Warriors - April 28 (If necessary)
Game 7: Warriors @ Kings - April 30 (If necessary)
Read More: 2023 NBA Playoffs: Cavs vs. Knicks Prediction
Why Kings Could Win Playoff Series vs. Warriors
The Kings possess the best offense in the NBA, which could certainly prove to be fatal for the Warriors in this series. De'Aaron Fox is always hard to stop, thanks to his speed, and Sacramento gets the benefit of playing in front of their home crowd. As everyone knows, the Dubs are one of the worse road teams during the 2022-23 regular season, compiling an away record of 11-30.
Furthermore, who could forget about Domantas Sabonis, the rebounding leader of the season? The Warriors don't have much depth in the frontcourt, and Sabonis could very well end up punishing the Dubs with his inside presence.
The biggest concern for the Kings is their lack of playoff experience. After all, they are making the postseason for the first time in 16 years. Prior to this campaign, they own the longest playoff drought for any team in major North American Sports. Hopes are high, however, that Mike Brown--who won multiple titles with the Warriors during the past decade--can make up for that.
Why Warriors Could Win Playoff Series vs. Kings
While the Dubs' road problem is a major concern, it's hard to completely write off a team that has proven time and time again that they can win at the highest level even when the odds are stacked against them. Let's get real, who predicted the Warriors to win it all last season?
Sure enough, Golden State enters this series as a heavy favorite, and for good reason. Not everyone has that playoff and title experience they have, and it could be a huge difference-maker in this showdown.
Furthermore, when you have top playoff performers like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on your side, you always have a chance to win even if you are a lower-seeded team.
Defense could be Golden State's biggest downfall, but with Andrew Wiggins expected to return in time for the Kings series, they should be able to improve on that end a little bit.
Kings vs. Warriors Prediction and Pick
This Kings-Warriors series is definitely tought to gauge, especially since both teams have a strong case to make it to the next round. In the end, it could all boil down to execution when deciding who'll win.
It's easy to love the Warriors' chances since they have been underdogs before and triumphed, but it certainly won't be easy against a motivated Kings side. Besides, if there's any one who knows the Dubs' weakness, it's Mike Brown who spent years with the team as Steve Kerr's assistant.
With that said, expect this series to go the distance and be decided in a Game 7.
Kings vs. Warriors Prediction: Warriors in seven!
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