With a blowout win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors locked in a top-six seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. However, to find out if they were the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, the Warriors needed to wait on the outcome of the Los Angeles Clippers game against the Phoenix Suns.
The Clippers held on for a 119-114 over the Suns, shifting the Warriors into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. With the Warriors locked in at No. 6, the stage is officially set for a Northern California rivalry series with the Sacramento Kings.
In their first playoff appearance in over a decade, the No. 3 seed Kings will welcome the defending champions to the Golden1 Center in Sacramento in the first round of the playoffs.
During four games over the 2022-23 season, the Warriors have controlled the series 3-1. The Warriors are coming off a recent blowout win over the Kings in Sacramento. However, with a playoff spot locked up, the Kings rested key players De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter.
Along with the Northern California connection, the Warriors will suit up against familiar faces Mike Brown, Leandro Barbosa and Harrison Barnes. All three former members of the Warriors won championships during their time with Golden State in the Bay Area.
The Kings last made the postseason in 2006 while the Warriors are coming off their fourth run to a championship since 2015.
The Kings own a 48-34 record, while the Warriors slot three positions below them in the Western Conference standings with a 44-38 record.
The Warriors and Kings will get five days to prepare for the series. Game one between the Kings and Warriors is set to take place in Sacramento at Golden 1 Center on Saturday evening in primetime at 5:30 p.m. PT.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
