NBA PLAYOFFS 2024: LAKERS WIN NO.7 SEED, KINGS THROUGH TO NEXT PLAY-IN ROUND AS WARRIORS CRASH OUT

Apr 17, 2024

Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson suited up together for potentially the final time, as the Golden State Warriors crashed out of the NBA play-in tournament at the first hurdle. The Sacramento Kings instead progressed in the West. They’ll face the New Orleans Pelicans for the final spot in the playoffs, after the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the No.7 seed.

The Golden State Warriors are out of the NBA play-in tournament at the first hurdle, falling 118-94 against the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento will now face the New Orleans Pelicans in the next round, after the Los Angeles Lakers secured their No.7 seed in the playoffs proper with a 110-106 victory.

Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson may well have played together for the final time, as one of the NBA’s all-time great dynasties potentially comes to an end.

The trio that won four NBA championships, and put up the best regular season in history (73-9), could split up this summer as Thompson is a free agent. If he goes out on the loss to Kings, it will certainly be a sour one to live long in his memory.

The 34-year-old went scoreless on Tuesday night, missing all 10 of his shots. Curry put up 22 points but it wasn’t enough for the Warriors, who trailed by only four at half-time but went on to get blown out by 24.

Each of the Kings’ starters scored in the double digits, with Keegan Murray leading the way on 32 to seal the win and a place in the next round, as a gulf in class emerged between two teams that finished the regular season with equal records.

It was also a measure of revenge for Sacramento, who agonisingly lost a seven-game shootout in the first round of last season’s playoffs against the same opponents. Now, the Warriors will be forced to watch the postseason from home for the third time in five years.

Reflecting on an awful night for his team, and in particular Thompson, coach Steve Kerr was clear in his desire for the offseason: “We need Klay back. I know he had a tough night tonight. Obviously there’s business at hand and that has to be addressed. But what Klay has meant to this franchise, as good as he is, we definitely want him back.”

Elsewhere, the Lakers booked a date in round one against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, thanks to a narrow win over the Pelicans.

Zion Williamson drove 40 points in vain, as LeBron James top-scored for the Lakers, who enter the postseason with the unlikely aim of breaking their tie with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA titles (17).

James, now in the playoffs for the 17th time across his magical 21-year career, said: “We’ve got a good group going right now. We understood after how we had played the last game that they were going to give us everything they had – the whole kitchen sink and the toolbox – and they did that, so it was a gritty win for us.”