As the fans of the Sacramento Kings wait with faded breath to see their beloved team pack up and head South to Anaheim, the Golden State Warriors fans can rest assured that their team is safe and sound where it is. But after the 129-119 drubbing handed out by the Kings in probably their last showdown ever at Arco/Power Band Pavilion, it is definitely a memory that will leave a poor taste in the Warriors’ mouths.
The ride from Oakland to Sacramento has got to be one of the shortest road trips of the year for any NBA team, save for Clippers v. Lakers games at the Staples Center. But the Warriors came out slower than if they just got off a flight from over seas, starting out down almost by 20 points half way through the first quarter. Was it really the fact that the Kings were that much better tonight, or was it more than that? The conspiracy theorist in me says that these teams met before the game and decided the outcome before hand, like a WWE wrestling match, with the Kings playing the part of the dominant home favorites and the Warriors as the rough and tumble villainous vistors.
OK, that probably was a little bit of a stretch.
But it was obvious that the Kings wanted to give their fans something to remember; going out on top against the other Bay Area NBA team for the last time on their home floor. Not a bad night for the Kings and their fanbase.
But this was a tough pill to swallow for Warriors fans. It is almost unfathomable how the W’s can look so good for two nights in a row than look so bad the very next game. It’s been the story of their season, unable to build consistency or confidence in ones self, looking like two different teams in two games in a row.
Golden State will now have to go from playing the bottom of the barrel to the cream of the crop as they host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, another team that poses serious matchup issues with the W’s throughout their lineup. Hopefully this won’t be another night Warriors fans have to etch-a-sketch from memory again, shaking their heads in shame and mild disgust.