Trailing 0-1 to start the series, the Golden State Warriors opened Game 2 with a tight defensive effort against the Sacramento Kings’ high-powered offense. After 12 minutes, the Warriors limited the Kings to only 17 points while securing a much-needed six-point lead to start the game.
However, the second quarter was a different story. On top of erasing the Warriors’ early advantage, the Kings exploded, scoring 41 points in the second frame.
As momentum swung back in favor of the Kings, the same road struggles that spurred the Warriors all season began to show. Turnovers and foul trouble began to slow Golden State down in Game 2.
With the game tight throughout the second half, the Warriors lost a key piece for the remainder of the contest. With 7:03 remaining and the Warriors trailing by four, Draymond Green was assessed a flagrant foul type two causing an ejection after tangling up with Domantas Sabonis. While Sabonis appeared to grab his foot, Green stepped on the Kings All-Star center’s chest.
Without Green, the Warriors couldn’t keep up with the Kings down the stretch. De’Aaron Fox notched 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor to go along with a clutch triple in the fourth quarter as the Kings secured a commanding 2-0 lead in the first round behind a 114-106 win in Game 2.
Steph Curry tallied 28 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field to lead the Warriors, but it wasn’t enough. In his first start since Feb., Andrew Wiggins notched 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor with five boards in 39 minutes.
After the Warriors fell into a 0-2 hole against the Kings with a loss in Game 2, the NBA community on Twitter weighed in with different reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying on Monday night.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
For the series:
Warriors +14 in Curry’s 78 minutes on
Warriors -25 in Curry’s 18 minutes off— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) April 18, 2023
Warriors are 29-for-90 from 3 through two games (32.2 percent) … The Kings are an even worse 21-for-70 (30 percent)
But the Warriors haven't shot it well enough to negate the Kings' advantage elsewhere. That has to change at home
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) April 18, 2023
Warriors were turnover-prone, foul-prone, bad on the road and beaten down the stretch of games in the regular season. They were exactly that tonight. They had 22 turnovers, 26 fouls and were outscored 12-5 in the final 2:54. Kings up 2-0 in this series as it shifts to SF.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 18, 2023
warriors been down worse before, lock in and stop the bs at home
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) April 18, 2023
The last time the Warriors trailed in a series 0-2 was the 2007 Conference Semifinals when they were the eighth seed losing to the fourth seed Jazz. The are the 5th defending champ to fall behind 2-0 in the first round. Each of the prior 4 went on to lose, with 3 getting swept.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) April 18, 2023
Warriors fall 114-106 to the Kings. They're now down 0-2 in a playoff series for the first time since 2007.
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) April 18, 2023
The question heading into this series was whether the Kings would hold up under the pressure of the Warriors.
They've passed every test
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) April 18, 2023
For the first time in championship era, the Warriors are down 0-2.
We're going to see something we've never seen before in this series.
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) April 18, 2023
Kings' clutch offense has been they difference. They've made the shots
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) April 18, 2023
Warriors down 0-2 but let’s not lose sight of what’s really important
— Jordan Elliott (@splash_cousin) April 18, 2023
The Golden State Warriors have yet to win a playoff game in the post-Wiseman era
— Joe Lacob (@joe_lacob) April 18, 2023
Positive for the Warriors is they got two Home Games coming up… maintain that Home dominance and send it back to Sacramento, 2-2.
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
The Warriors are the fifth NBA defending champion to fall behind 2-0 in the first round. Each of the prior four went on to lose, with three getting swept. @ESPNStatsInfo
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 18, 2023
What the Kings have done so far is super impressive, but you can never count out Steph/Klay/Draymond in a playoff series.
Only LeBron/Kawhi have taken them down in a series, so still a loooong way to go.
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) April 18, 2023
Rent free. Y'all go up 2-0 and y'all worry about what I said about your cute team. Laughable. https://t.co/3ognto9TnG
— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) April 18, 2023
Warriors to win the series down 0-2 (+135)
👍— Shohei Ohtani Stan Account (@AndyKHLiu) April 18, 2023
Warriors’ Draymond Green egging on Kings fans after stepping on Domantas Sabonis pic.twitter.com/ya0kXOVt37
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 18, 2023
Can Golden State battle back down 2-0? 👀 pic.twitter.com/5ZMxTlPdQp
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2023
Sacramento got E-40 ejected in G1 and Dray in G2.
Who will it be in G3?
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
Dubs in 7
— Dave DuFour (@DaveDuFourNBA) April 18, 2023
In the history of 7-game NBA postseason series, teams up 2-0 have won the series 92% of the time
— Zach Kram (@zachkram) April 18, 2023
Jordan Poole in two games:
36 Total Mins
21 Points
5/17 shooting
2/8 from 3Borderline unplayable
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
G1- Kerr sits Dray/Steph late 3Q
G2- Kerr sits Wiggins/GP2 early 2QBoth times Monk and co. took over
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 18, 2023
G1 flipped when Steph went to bench late 3Q and Kings blitzed GSW
G2 flipped when Steph went to bench late 1Q and Kings blitzed GSW.
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
First two games of the series:
Warriors 35 Turnovers
Kings 29 offensive rebounds— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
The Warriors lose to Sacramento 114-106 as 22 turnovers, 10 less shot attempts,Draymond's ejection and some fine play by Sacramento were too much to overcome. This is the first time that the Steph, Klay, Draymond Warriors have trailed by 2-0 in any playoff series.
— Tim Roye (@warriorsvox) April 18, 2023
THE KINGS EXTEND THEIR LEAD 👑
They hand the Warriors their first back-to-back playoff losses since the 2019 NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/e2ehUwi1kv
— ESPN (@espn) April 18, 2023
Kings lighting the Beam.
Dubs looking for some Jim Beam.— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) April 18, 2023
First time in the Kerr era, Warriors down 0-2.
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) April 18, 2023
