(Photo : Loren Elliott / Stringer) SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings dunks towards the Golden State Warriors throughout the fourth quarter in Game One of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs on the Golden 1 Center on April 15, 2023 in Sacramento, California.
Before the beginning of Game 1 within the NBA playoff sequence between the Kings and Warriors, sure Twitter customers shared a beforehand posted video that includes Richard Jefferson’s opinion relating to the Kings’ main commerce deal in 2022.
The commerce package deal concerned their up-and-coming guard Tyrese Haliburton being traded to the Pacers in alternate for All-Star heart Domantas Sabonis.
Read More: Warriors Injury Report: Is Andrew Wiggins within the Playoffs?
Kings Proved Doubters Wrong
During an episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today,” Malika Andrews requested Jefferson in regards to the Kings’ potential for playoff competition after the commerce deal. However, earlier than responding, Jefferson and others on the present erupted in laughter.
Hiring Mike Brown, Drafting Keegan Murray, and bringing in Huerter helped too 🤣😂. Congrats @SacramentoKings on an excellent 12 months and an excellent begin to the postseason. #eatmywords #GentleTheBeam https://t.co/3tFJhpoAm7
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) April 17, 2023
Jefferson rapidly responded with a vehement “No! God, no!!” in response to the playoff competition query, and the laughter persevered among the many group consisting of Andrews, Zach Lowe, and JJ Redick.
Jefferson’s response resurfaced a 12 months later, as he needed to retract his earlier assertion and provide his congratulations to the Kings, which he did throughout a latest broadcast.
Sabonis performed a big function in main the Kings to their playoff look because the Western Conference’s third seed. He was the league chief in double-doubles (65) and rebounds per sport (12.3) throughout the common season whereas additionally averaging 19.1 factors with a outstanding 61.5% capturing from the sphere and seven.3 assists in 79 video games.
Richard Jefferson Has a Point
However, Jefferson’s earlier remark relating to the Kings’ playoff competition was not fully baseless, because the crew made a number of impactful additions throughout the offseason. Veteran guards Kevin Huerter (15.2 factors, 2.9 assists per sport) and Malik Monk (13.5 factors, 3.9 assists per sport) supplied precious depth to the backcourt, whereas newcomer Keegan Murray set data in his first NBA season.
Additionally, below the steerage of recent head coach Mike Brown, De’Aaron Fox’s efficiency elevated to an All-Star stage with a career-high 25 factors per sport on 51.3% capturing from the sphere.
The Kings’ victory over the reigning NBA champions in Game 1 was a big achievement that brought on many skeptics to rethink their preliminary doubts in regards to the crew. Although it’s nonetheless early within the sequence, and a number of other video games are left to play, Sacramento’s spectacular performances all through the season recommend they will proceed to exceed expectations. It is cheap to imagine that the Kings can proceed to defy the percentages and emerge victorious within the postseason.
Related Article: 2023 NBA Playoffs: Kings vs. Warriors Prediction
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