Kings 2 Keys to Success vs. Warriors To Avoid Elimination

The Kings host the Warriors on Tuesday night in a Play-In Tournament matchup.

Apr 4, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40). / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings have won just two of their last seven games, as many believe their season could end as early as Tuesday night. After losing star sixth man Malik Monk to injury, the Kings seemed to crumble and fell to ninth place in the stacked Western Conference.

Seemingly enough, Sacramento's downfall led directly to a rematch of the 2023 playoffs, where they will host the Golden State Warriors in a win-or-go-home Play-In Tournament matchup on Tuesday.

The Kings and Warriors have already fought four times this season, splitting the series 2-2. The last three matchups have been decided by just one point, but that raises a major concern for Sacramento, who remains without one of their premier closers in Monk.

Despite winning just four of ten games without Monk this season, the Kings know they can come out victorious over their NorCal rivals. What will it take for the Kings to beat the Warriors and move on to Friday's game for a spot in the playoffs? Here are two keys to success for Sacramento.

Contributions from Role Players

The Kings have built their success around the star tandem of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, but the Warriors have star power too. Tuesday's matchup will come down to which supporting cast will show up, and Sacramento's role players have proven they can step to the plate when needed.

In their last matchup, Kings forward and former Warrior Harrison Barnes went off for a game-high 39 points, as Sacramento pulled out a close win. While the Kings cannot ask for another near 40-bomb from Barnes, this is not the time for the veteran forward to have his weekly no-show game.

Since sharpshooter Kevin Huerter was ruled out for the season, sophomore guard Keon Ellis has started in his place and has made as much of a defensive impact as any guard in the league. While Fox is capable of guarding Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, expect Ellis to take the assignment and make it a challenging night for the future Hall of Famer.

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Close Out the Game

The last three meetings between these two squads have been decided by one point. The Kings must prepare for a close game and be ready when it is decided within the final minute of action. While Sacramento's record suggests they have been playing poorly with Monk out of the lineup, they have played surprisingly well. The Kings have shown they can compete with any team, but missing Monk to close the game has been what hurts.

There have been countless times this season where the Kings have had a game won but somehow given it up in the fourth quarter. With the season on the line, Mike Brown and Sacramento need to figure out their weaknesses and stop making the same faults over and over again.

The Kings will turn to Fox and sophomore Keegan Murray to take the scoring load, but their offensive ability must stretch from the tip to the final buzzer.

Sacramento will have many chances to win Tuesday's game but do not count out a stacked Warriors squad until the clock hits zero.

The Kings and Warriors tip off at 7 PM PT on TNT.

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