JJ Redick breaks down Golden State Warriors' pitfalls - "Same issues … the Kings are exposing that"
Former Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic player JJ Reddick analyzed why the Golden State Warriors lost the first two games of their first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings.
The Warriors have been well-beaten in both their games thus far in the series. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have been the standout players thus far, and the Warriors have been second fiddle in the majority of the two games thus far.
The defending champions were impressive throughout the regular season at home but struggled to win games on the road. They came up against a young, energetic team that went 48-34 in the regular season. The Warriors struggled to take their chances and seemed too reliant on Steph Curry’s brilliance, who was marked out of the game for large stetches of the game.
JJ Reddick claimed on ESPN’s "First Take" that the Warriors are facing the same issues as they have been the entire season:
"The Warriors game plan has been good. I think they've executed it... But the same issues; the foul trouble, the turnovers, all that stuff—That's who the Warriors are this season, and the Kings are exposing that."
"The Warriors game plan has been good, I think they've executed it... But the same issues; the foul trouble, the turnovers, all that stuff—That's who the Warriors are this season, and the Kings are exposing that."
—JJ Redick
(via @ESPNNBA)
https://t.co/LrLSe0Hyaw
Draymond Green at risk of being suspended for Golden State Warriors?
The Sacramento Kings played their second playoff game after 17 years. They came up against an experienced Golden State Warriors side full of winners. However, it was the Kings who played like the veterans. The likes of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis continued to hurt the Warriors and they were well-supported by a deep bench that has proved to be a blessing the entire season.
Apart from Fox and Sabonis, four other players scored in double digits, while Harrison Barnes came up with multiple clutch baskets toward the end of the game. That, in addition to the catastrophic Draymond Green incident, means that the Warriors now have a mountain to climb, especially if Green is suspended.
Green ended up stomping on Sabonis’ chest in the fourth quarter after the Lithuanian’s arm got entangled with his leg. Both players claimed their innocence after the game, while Green has also garnered support from some unlikely corners. While the foul may be a result of the initial contact by Sabonis, the expectation is that the NBA might take further action against Draymond Green.
THE KINGS EXTEND THEIR LEAD 👑
They hand the Warriors their first back-to-back playoff losses since the 2019 NBA Finals. https://t.co/e2ehUwi1kv
Whether the Golden State Warriors will be able to recover from a 2-0 deficit without him is a different story.