This California rivalry moves to the Bay Area, where the Golden State Warriors face a must-win situation against the Sacramento Kings in a best-of-seven first-round series.
The Kings maintained their lead in the series, winning the first two games in their own arena to take a 2-0 lead. Game 3 begins at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday at the Chase Center.
Update Injury Golden State Warriors – Sacramento Kings
Fans of the Kings couldn’t have asked for more from their team, as the home team dominated the defending champions in the first two games to take a 2-0 series lead.
At the same time, they proved many critics wrong, as many expected the Warriors to win at least one game against the upstart Kings. The Kings, however, put that notion to rest with a convincing 114-106 victory over Golden State on Tuesday.
Now, the Kings only need two more victories to advance.
Domantas Sabonis has been listed as questionable by the Kings due to a bruised sternum, but it appears he will play in Game 3.
Sabonis, who was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, has been upgraded from questionable to available Thursday with a sternum contusion.
Sabonis is Sacramento’s third-leading scorer in this series (18.0 points per game) and will likely be an even bigger part of the offense now that Draymond Green is out for Game 3.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green insists the Golden State Warriors have a new challenge, even if he won’t be there to start it, when the defending champions try to dig themselves out of a 2-0 hole against Sacramento.
Green was ejected in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 114-106 loss in Sacramento for stomping on Kings rival Domantas Sabonis’ chest.
The loss puts Golden State down 2-0 for the first time in Steve Kerr’s tenure, during which four of the previous six playoff appearances resulted in championships.
During the regular season, Golden State played nine games without Green and won only three of them. They did, however, go 2-0 at home in those games.
Green will miss a playoff game for only the second time in his career. The last time that happened was in Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a series the Warriors led 3-1 before losing the final three games.
Stephen Curry finished Game 2 with 28 points (9-21 FG, 3-13 3Pt, 7-8 FT), three rebounds, six assists, and one block in 41 minutes.
Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, but it wasn’t one of his more efficient outings. He missed 10 three-point attempts, including one late in the fourth quarter.
For the first time in his playoff career, Warriors star Stephen Curry is down 2-0 and may have to will the Warriors to victory as the series shifts to Golden State for Game 3 on Thursday.
The Warriors will also host Game 4 on Sunday before the best-of-seven series returns to Sacramento for Game 5 next Wednesday, if necessary.
Warriors injury update:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| Gary Payton II | Illness | Game Time Decision |
| Jordan Poole | Ankle | Game Time Decision |
| Andrew Wiggins | Shoulder | Game Time Decision |
| Andre Iguodala | Wrist | Expected to be out until at least Apr 23 |
| Ryan Rollins | Foot | Out for the season |
Kings injury update:
| PLAYER | INJURY | STATUS |
| Matthew Dellavedova | Finger | Expected to be out until at least Apr 30 |
