For the second year running, the Warriors will face the Kings in the postseason and Steph Curry has explained how Tuesday’s matchup is similar to the Game 7 clash in the first round of the Western Conference Finals last season – against the same team.
“It was a sense of urgency, obviously,” Curry told the media on Monday. “Just understanding, we were in pretty good shape coming back from Sacramento winning Game 5. They took it to us in Game 6 and we got embarrassed on our home floor. It’s a matter of how you respond at that point. Just an understanding of whatever it took to bring the right energy back to that Game 7 performance. Everybody talks about my numbers, but everybody was engaged and locked in, playing physical, playing with desperation. We’re going to have to have that same type of mentality tomorrow. Kind of ironic. Everything else built up to that Game 7, this is technically a Game 7-type environment in the same building. So, we gotta do it again.”
Last season was Sacramento’s first playoff appearance in 16 years.
And in that Game 7, Steph killed all their hopes and dreams by dropping a 50-piece on the Kings’ home court.
Last year’s series is also where the Kings and Warriors started a bit of a rivalry, since the seven games were full of drama.
No doubt the most dramatic part was Draymond Green stomping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest.
Former Warriors assistant and current Kings head coach Mike Brown is looking forward to Tuesday’s challenge against his old team.
“We welcome anybody that’s in front of us,” Brown said. “We are just excited about an opportunity to play. And again, situations like this, we as a group right now, haven’t been through. And so to go play one game right now, that’s how I look at it and swing for the fences. Try to get a win.”
READ MORE: Draymond Green Addresses Epic Play-In Matchup Against Kings