For the first time since 2007, the Golden State Warriors are 2-0 down in a playoff series and will be desperately trying to get off the mark in the series against the Sacramento Kings in Game 3 at home on Thursday.
The Warriors are considered 5.5-point favorites for the contest despite missing Draymond Green with a suspension. Bookmaker Bovada has the odds at -110 for the hosts to beat the spread. A lot of scoring is expected again with Bovada having the total set at 239.5 points.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 19th, 7:00 P.M. (EST)
The two teams have averaged 234.5 points per game in the series so far, but Green’s absence leaves the defending champions without their best defender and this sets the stage perfectly for a very high-scoring affair as it’s almost impossible to beat the Kings with defense because they are a very prolific side and like to push the tempo.
Golden State had no trouble outscoring the Kings in three of the four head-to-head meetings during the regular season, but playoff basketball tends to be completely different and former Warriors assistant Mike Brown has so far outwitted Steve Kerr. Brown’s team has put in a pair of very impressive performances, but as the old saying goes – a playoff series doesn’t start until a team wins on the road.
The Kings did pretty well away from home during the regular season going 25-16, but the Warriors were a truly elite home team with a 33-8 record and they can definitely turn the tide in the series if they can produce the same level of effort in the playoffs.
Everybody will look for Stephen Curry to spark a comeback. The 2022 Finals MVP struggled a bit in Game 2 but still led all scorers with 28 points and is averaging 31.6 points against the Kings for the whole season. He can heat up in a hurry and things can turn ugly quickly at the Chase Center for visiting sides if Curry is in the mood early on.
The Kings will hope that De’Aaron Fox can outshine Curry. He has just picked up the NBA’s first-ever Clutch Player of the Year award and Fox is off to a nice start in the series, having averaged 31 points across the first two games. He’s also come up big on the defensive end with 3.5 steals and should give his team a decent chance to win if he gets near the same numbers Thursday.
