NBA Playoffs: Curry and the Warriors Knocked Out by Kings, LeBron James in Playoffs

Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors ended a miserable season with a playoff loss at the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday (118-94), while LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers joined the playoffs.

Tuesday marked the start of the NBA playoffs, opponents down to the wire, in a dry battle, between four teams from each conference (ranked from 7th to 10th at the end of the regular season) to compete for the last two tickets to the playoffs.

The format introduced in 2021, without mercy, was fatal for the Golden State Warriors who failed 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 mournful 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, vengeful after they were eliminated by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs last year (4-3), won the right to play the last ticket in the West for the final stage on Friday on the Pelicans floor in New Orleans, beaten on Tuesday by the Lakers (110-106).

Olympic goal for Curry

With a clumsy and hesitant collective, far from its four titles in the last ten years (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022), Golden State appeared to pay 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 from 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 actions on the floor.

Klay Thompson, for his worst statistical practice since 2012-2013, also illustrated the difficulties of a late-run group whose latest recruits remain disappointing.

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 that needs to be renewed. This will give Curry plenty of time to prepare for the Paris Olympics (July 26-August 11), where he is expected to join the US 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 dominance, they totally deserve it,” praised Kerr.

“It is 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 have won several titles with incredible players, we are part “On on the other hand, we don’t stay at the top forever, we’ll think about that later,” the coach summed up.

Zion Williamson unsustainable

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 playoff appearance in 21 NBA seasons, and will face defending champion Denver, who beat the Lakers last year in the finals, in the first round on Saturday (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, especially those of bulldozer Zion Williamson (40 points and 11 rebounds).

Unsustainable, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft imposed his power (1.98m, 129kg) on both sides of the floor, on defense on Davis and James and on offense, multiplying runs to the basket, including one after severely shaken “LBJ », who had to walk for a few minutes, hit his left arm.

While he had barely let his team back level in a blistering final quarter, Williamson (23) had to leave the game through injury three minutes from time, throwing in the towel in frustration as he returned to the dressing room. Hit one leg, he has to graduate, his coach said.