An NBA playoff series isn’t won or lost after Game 1 alone, but the Kings illustrated they aren’t going to be a pushover, even if they lack big-stage experience, in their dramatic 126–123 victory against Golden State on Saturday night.
It was Sacramento’s first playoff game since April 2006, a little more than a year before the first iPhone hit the market. So many things went wrong for the Kings, who stand as perhaps the biggest, most intriguing question mark of this postseason:
- Domantas Sabonis, a likely All-NBA center, got carved up repeatedly by the Warriors’ backdoor passes, prompting coach Mike Brown to sit him on the bench.
- Sweet-shooting wingman Kevin Huerter, who has had a starring role flying off the shoulder of Sabonis in the Kings’ explosive dribble-handoff game, missed all five of his tries from deep range.
- Fellow starter Keegan Murray missed all three of his tries from outside, too.
