The most exciting stage of the NBA season is right around the corner.
Basketball fans around the world are in for a treat this year as the 2023 playoffs will pin some of the greatest players and most exciting teams against each other for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy.
With so many high-intensity and entertaining series already on the horizon, which first-round matchup is the most intriguing? Is it Kevin Durant and the No. 4-seeded Phoenix Suns against Kawhi Leonard and the No. 5-seeded Los Angeles Clippers? How about the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers against the No. 5 New York Knicks?
“The most intriguing matchup to me is the Warriors vs. the Sacramento Kings,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” on Monday. “At some point in time, we have to put some respect on the Sacramento Kings.
"The Sacramento Kings have the No. 1 offense in the NBA. De’Aaron Fox can ball. [Domantas] Sabonis can ball. Very proud of what I’ve seen from Malik Monk this year. Kendrick Perkins reminded me that Harrison Barnes is on the squad. Keegan Murray can ball, he’s a rookie. He’s an All-Rookie prospect, this brother can play. And Mike Brown is unquestionably the Coach of the Year, it’s not even up for debate.
“So you got Sacramento and Golden State within an hour-and-a-half, it’s a bus ride, they don’t have to fly. We’ve got the top two offenses in basketball going up against each other. Sacramento’s got like the 24th-[ranked] defensive rating or whatever it is. So I’m like, ‘Golden State’s going to put up some buckets.’ Sacramento, for damn sure, is going to put up some buckets. Things are going to get very, very interesting.”
The Northern California neighbors are meeting in the postseason for the first time ever. Golden State’s away record (11-30) was a head-scratcher all season for the defending champions, while Sacramento’s record away from Golden 1 Center (25-16) was the best in the Western Conference.
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Sacramento will play its first playoff game since 2006 and hosts its first-ever postseason game at G1C.
Both teams undeniably can put up points but have struggled defensively over the course of the season. As Smith points out, these are just a few of the nuggets that will make this series so interesting.
“The operative word here is ‘intriguing’, nobody asked for predictions,” Smith continued. “The question is what’s the most intriguing matchup? And I look at Sacramento against Golden State, particularly when Golden State could go on the road and get beat by anybody. That’s what they’ve been showing us. Sacramento with that offense can beat anybody.
“So I look at it from that perspective. I look at [Kings coach] Mike Brown being a former assistant to [Warriors coach] Steve Kerr. I look at Steph Curry going up against De’Aaron Fox. De’Aaron Fox is anxious to prove this brother is legit and admired in Sacramento. I’m just looking at Sacramento and Golden State. When we talk about some exciting basketball, I’m looking forward to it.”
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Smith set the stage perfectly for what's to come this weekend. Get your popcorn ready.