Sacramento Kings vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - January 4th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
Two divisional rivals come face to face as the Sacramento Kings take on the Golden State Warriors. The Kings enter this tie on the back of a two-game losing streak while the Warriors just recorded their first home win of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Golden State Warriors | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Monday, January 4th, 10 PM ET (Tuesday, 8:30 AM IST)
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Click here to check out the 2020-21 NBA Schedule
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings have trouble to deal with both on and off the court. They've lost two consecutive games to the Houston Rockets and looked poor down the stretch. They're missing Tyrese Haliburton who's been sidelined for the time being with a wrist issue.
The Sacramento Kings still lead the league in offensive rebounds but aren't making the most of their extra chances. They have six players scoring in double digits but only De'Aaron Fox is scoring over 20 points a game. Defensive solidity has also been amiss for the Kings.
Key Player - Buddy Hield
After showing promise in the preseason, Buddy Hield has not been able to get it going for the Sacramento Kings. He's averaging 16.8 points per game on less than 40% from the field. Luckilly, he's also shooting 37.7% from downtown and the Kings will need him to be at his sharpshooting best against the Golden State Warriors.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G De'Aaron Fox, G Buddy Hield, F Harrison Barnes, F Marvin Bagley III, C Richaun Holmes
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors have a long homestand to find their footing in the Western Conference seedings. After being blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first encounter, they rallied behind Stephen Curry's 62-point effort to eke out a resounding win in the second.
Draymond Green returned to action only last Friday, but the Golden State Warriors already look better thanks to his feel for the game and defensive awareness. Andrew Wiggins has also improved his production while James Wiseman continues to thrive.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
It really is the Stephen Curry show for the Golden State Warriors. Curry is averaging 32.3 points on 45.8% shooting from the field. He's finally getting the space he needs with pick-and-rolls and draining treys more regularly. He'll be hoping to make the most of Sacramento Kings' inconsistent defense.
Also Read: How many rings does Stephen Curry have?
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G Stephen Curry, G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Andrew Wiggins, F Draymond Green, C James Wiseman
Kings vs Warriors Match Prediction
The Golden State Warriors are functioning much better than they did at the start of the season. Curry is in his groove and the only thing stopping him from being on song is clampdown defense, something the Sacramento Kings aren't great at. Expect the Warriors to win this one.
Where to watch Kings vs Warriors?
Local coverage of the game will be available on NBC Sports California and NBC Sports Bay Area. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.
Also read: Twitter lauds Stephen Curry as he explodes for career-high 62 points against Portland Trail Blazers