Get ready for an exciting matchup between Looney and Sabonis.
The NBA preseason schedule makers have given Golden State a thrilling series to start off the basketball season. First, the Warriors had two games against their Pacific Division rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that eliminated them in the playoffs last year.
The Warriors won those two games in a thrilling fashion, and now they face another division rival and playoff opponent, the Sacramento Kings, whom they defeated in a hard-fought seven-game series in the previous postseason.
Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings
October 15th, 2023 | 6:30 PM PT
Watch: ESPN, NBC Sports California | Listen: 95.7 The Game
While the Warriors made a splashy offseason move by trading Jordan Poole for Chris Paul, the Kings focused on resigning their key players, including extending Domantas Sabonis, re-signing Harrison Barnes, and re-signing Trey Lyles.
Sabonis, a talented center who led the league in rebounding last year, became a controversial figure among Dub Nation in the playoffs, but it was Kevon Looney who outperformed the All-Star when it mattered most.
Looney effectively guarded Sabonis, limiting him to 26-of-55 shooting (47%) and forcing him to commit 11 turnovers in their matchups.
During that seven-game series, Looney averaged 15.1 rebounds per game, while Sabonis could only manage 11 boards per game. Sabonis struggled to compete with Looney on the glass. The Kings Herald, a popular publication among Sacramento fans, had this to say in their article, “Warriors 120, Kings 100: The End of the Road”:
Domas will face heavy scrutiny in the coming days and weeks. He finished with a respectable stat line of 22 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds, but most of that production came in the first half and during garbage time when the game was already decided. Sabonis struggled throughout the series against Kevon Looney.
It’s a delicate topic to discuss Sabonis because his shortcomings were a major reason for the Kings’ loss in this series. However, Sabonis’ play this year was a significant factor in why the Kings secured the 3rd seed in the standings. Sabonis is crucial to Sacramento’s success; this series was simply a bad matchup for him.
Even though Green will be absent from this game, I am excited for another clash between Sabonis and Looney in Sactown!
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Emily Turner is your source for everything NBA. As a dedicated basketball enthusiast, she offers insights into NBA games, player highlights, trade rumors, and the league’s evolving dynamics. Emily’s love for the sport shines through in her comprehensive NBA coverage.