Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors ended a pitiful season with a playoff defeat at the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday (118-94), while LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers joined the play-offs.
Tuesday marked the start of the NBA play-offs, oppositions down to the wire, in a dry match, between four teams from each conference (ranked from 7th to 10th places at the end of the regular season) to compete for the last two tickets for the play-offs.
The format introduced in 2021, without mercy, was fatal to the Golden State Warriors who were unable to mask all their current weaknesses in 48 minutes. In great difficulty, the 2022 champion left the impression of a team in decline, at the end of a failed and mourning season.
The aging hero of the “Dubs”, Stephen Curry (36 years old), was limited to 22 points (3 of 7 three-pointers), weighing little against Keegan Murray (32 points), De’Aaron Fox (24) and Domantas Sabonis (16 points, 12 rebounds).
The Kings, revengeful after their elimination by the Warriors in the first round of the play-offs last year (4-3), won the right to play the last ticket in the West for the final stages Friday on the Pelicans floor of New Orleans, beaten Tuesday by the Lakers (110-106).
Olympic goal for Curry
With a clumsy and hesitant collective, far from its four titles over the last ten years (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022), Golden State seemed to pay on Tuesday for a dark season, marked by the death in mid-January of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, during a team trip to Salt Lake City.
The Warriors also suffered the absence of Chris Paul for 20 games between January and February, for a broken left hand, in addition to the escapades of their barker Draymond Green, twice suspended at the end of 2023 for violent acts on the floor.
Klay Thompson, for his worst statistical exercise since 2012-2013, also illustrated the difficulties of a group at the end of the race whose latest recruits remain disappointing.
Keegan Murray (r.), the winger of the Sacramento Kings, is the victim of a foul by Draymond Green (l.), the strong winger of the Golden State Warriors, during the Play-In match between the two NBA franchises, April 16, 2024, in Sacramento (California) / EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Thompson (34 years old) is at the end of his contract this summer while Green (34 years old) and Curry (36 years old) are still signed for two years in a franchise which needs to renew itself. Curry will thus have plenty of time to prepare for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11), where he is expected to join the American team, led by his coach Steve Kerr.
“We had some good moments, but they didn’t give Steph (Curry) any space, they dominated us physically, it’s total domination, they totally deserve it,” praised Kerr.
“It’s too early to talk about the future. We invest so much in a season, so many things happen, the emotions, the ups and downs in this business are incredible. We’ve won several titles with incredible players, we’re part of it. ‘On the other hand, we don’t stay at the top forever. What has to happen this summer we’ll think about it later,’ summed up the coach.
Zion Williamson untenable
LeBron James continues to prove that age is not a pitfall in the NBA, with his victory earlier against New Orleans (110-106). The 39-year-old “King” qualified for his 17th play-offs in 21 NBA seasons, and will face defending champion Denver, who swept the Lakers last year in the final, in the first round on Saturday. in the West (4-0).
But LeBron James (23 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) and Anthony Davis (20 points, 15 rebounds) had a hard time clipping the wings of the Pelicans in Louisiana, particularly those of bulldozer Zion Williamson (40 points and 11 rebounds) .
Untenable, the No. 1 of the 2019 draft imposed his power (1.98 m, 129 kg) on both sides of the field, in defense on Davis and James and in attack, multiplying the races to the basket, including one by severely shaking “LBJ”, who had to leave for a few minutes, hit in the left arm.
LeBron James (c.), Los Angeles Lakers winger, shoots as New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson (r.) looks on during an NBA play-in game, July 16 April 2024, in New Orleans / Jonathan Bachman / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
While he had barely allowed his team to come back to the level in an incandescent last quarter, Williamson (23) had to leave the game due to injury three minutes from time, throwing his towel in frustration as he returned to the locker room. Hit in one leg, he must take exams, his trainer said.
