In his last 2 games at Golden 1 Center, Stephen Curry scored 91 points.
SACRAMENTO — Don’t call it a rivalry. These weren’t born overnight, or in this case, over the course of a sensational seven-game playoff series. And besides, with all due respect to the Kings, they didn’t capture enough meaningful moments against the Warriors to even utter the R-word.
But.
The elements are there for a healthy run of seasons, at the very least, in the competition for Nor Cal superiority. These kings are no longer the Kangs. They have just won 48 victories, including two in the All-Star Game, the Beam, the thrills, the playoffs (finally!) and the Return of the Bell.
And of course, the Warriors don’t need a historical recap. They are older, more vulnerable than in recent years, currently integrating Chris Paul into the mix and are still temporarily without Draymond Green, recovering from a sprained left ankle.
Enough with the nitpicking, though. We didn’t mention Stephen Curry.
Here are five takeaways from the Warriors Victory 122-114 Friday:
1. Curry is the Golden One at Golden 1 Center
Five months after he hit them with a 50 in their house in Game 7, and now the day after their 41 in their home opener, the Kings are still trying to stop Curry at the limits of the city of Sacramento.
Maybe they should turn on a flashing red beam, as if for a warning, every time he shows up at the Golden 1 Center.
3️⃣0️⃣ to lead the Dubs to victory!
Player of the game, powered by @GoogleCloud pic.twitter.com/1WaV0NfQfk
– Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 28, 2023
Not only did he score, he did so efficiently, 7 of 10 from deep and 14 of 19 overall, scoring in a variety of ways. When the Kings erased an 18-point deficit – this game wasn’t exactly close – and made it semi-suspenseful with a few minutes left, Curry hit them with the night-night sign.
“It was just about getting into a rhythm and rhythm and maintaining it,” he said.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr playfully pushed back against the perception that Curry is at home in Sacramento.
“Steph owns a lot of arenas,” Kerr said. “It’s Steph. What is there to say?”
2. Kings are no longer sneaky
The challenge for the Kings is to build on what they generated last season, because they won’t surprise anyone anymore.
In the recent past, teams surrounded the Kings on the schedule for entirely different reasons – it was a weak spot on the schedule. But the respect the franchise earned last season means the Kings are now seen as a liability to almost everyone.
De’Aaron Fox kept the Kings in the game Friday night, finishing with a team-high 39 points.
When you bring in De’Aaron Fox — who was solid Friday in a 39-point performance — and Domantas Sabonis and a decent collection of supporting help, opponents no longer rest their stars against Sac.
Here’s the good thing about the Kings: Golden State needed Curry to score 91 points in the final two games to win. They demanded and got their best. This is progress for Sac, right?
3. Which warrior will win the Kia Sixth Man Award?
At some point, and very soon, Kerr will have to make a roster decision. Draymond’s injury has bought Kerr time, but time is running out. Who is about to go from current starter to coming off the bench?
Excluding Draymond and Curry, that comes down to Paul, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins or Kevon Looney. Kerr brushed it off and did so again Friday when Draymond returned to practice.
But is the subject overrated? It’s not about who starts, but who finishes, who is on the field at the moment of truth and who gets the most minutes.
Kurt Rambis started on the Laker’s championship teams. But was he more important than Michael Cooper? Or even late against Larry Bird?
The solution is simple. Kerr will have players check their egos and then shuffle the starting lineup based on that night’s game and which opponent brings size. Also, which Warrior adapts best off the bench?
Finally, it would be a surprise if, in a close game, the five on the floor was anyone other than Paul, Curry, Klay, Draymond and Wiggins.
4. Who owns the ball?
On a related topic, Kerr also has to decide which player the offense will run through – Draymond or Paul. We carried that responsibility on Warrior championship teams. The other is one of the greatest playmakers and passers of all time.
Draymond’s case: if it’s not broken, why fix it?
Paul’s case: He’s the team’s smartest passer, if not the best, and he’s averaging nine assists after two games.
The Warriors can obviously play both together, but the longer the stretch, the more likely it is that one of them will be out of their element and therefore not placed in the best position to produce.
Everyone says the right things. But until the Warriors are back to normal, all Kerr can do now is shrug: “We’ll work this out.”
5. Final word on the bench
The Warriors expect progress from Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, and so far, so far, so far this early season has been going well. They rely heavily on their development – to win, to decide whether they deserve a contract extension next summer.
They combined for 22 points on Friday and, above all, they were active and aggressive. That’s what the Warriors need, a pair of young legs who can push the tempo and connect with Paul on screens and lobs.
“Third year. I feel like both of them are playing with a lot of confidence,” Kerr said.
They also represent the last remaining players from the Warriors’ recent drafts, which had mixed results. It’s safe to say the Warriors miscalculated James Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, now trying to salvage his career in Detroit. Jordan Poole was a find at No. 28 the year before — he helped win a championship — but for chemistry reasons he was sacrificed for Paul, who is 14 years older.
It is possible that Paul plays more with the second unit; his maturity and sense will be more sought after by young players than by Curry, Draymond and Thompson.
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can send him an email herefind his archives here and follow him Twitter.
The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its clubs, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
