The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are battling in the West Play-In Tournament.
Both teams ended the regular season with identical records of 46-36, but the Kings will have home-court advantage in the matchup because they own the tiebreaker.
In a report by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Warriors superstar Steph Curry said he expects the upcoming game to have a playoff-type atmosphere, especially after what happened during their intense first-round series last season.
“It’s ironic how everything else built up to that Game 7. This is technically a Game 7 type of environment in that same building. So we’ve got to do it again.”
Last season, the Warriors spoiled the Kings’ impressive run and eliminated them from the playoffs, which was Sacramento’s first appearance in 17 years, with a Game 7 win on the road behind Curry’s 50 points.
Warriors forward Draymond Green also knows that facing the Kings on the road will be challenging.
“It’s always a playoff-type game … their fans want to light the beam and see us lose and beat the crap out of us, and we want to beat the crap out of them,” said Green. “It has brewed into (a NorCal rivalry) but for us, it’s another game that we have to win.”
The Warriors, though, will miss the services of Gary Payton II. The explosive guard, who has been sidelined since April 9, is still nursing a calf injury and won’t be available for the Play-In Tournament.
