Did the Golden State Warriors make it to 2024 playoffs?

The Golden State Warriors were on the road to face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The stakes were high, with the victor earning a chance to challenge the New Orleans Pelicans for a coveted playoff berth.

In a role reversal from previous year, where the Dubs defeated the Kings in the first round, Sacramento seized control this time, prevailing over the Warriors with a decisive 118-94 victory.

With the postseason aspirations over, the Warriors find themselves solely focused on the offseason.

While the emergence of promising young talents such as Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski offered glimpses of potential, the team continues to lean heavily on the core members of their 2022 championship roster: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins.

With Thompson's impending free agency looming, the Warriors face key decisions ahead. They possess Chris Paul's non-guaranteed contract as a potential trade asset, yet several adjustments may be necessary if Golden State aims to secure another championship in the future.

Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings Play-In: Game summary

In a strategic move, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr chose to deploy rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis in the frontcourt alongside Draymond Green. While Jackson-Davis has showcased his abilities throughout a productive rookie campaign, Kevon Looney concluded the season on a high note, notably demonstrating effectiveness against the Kings in the previous postseason.

Jackson-Davis faced a daunting defensive assignment, frequently tasked with guarding the perimeter-oriented Harrison Barnes, while Green took on the challenge of defending Domantas Sabonis.

Despite both teams exhibiting fluid ball movement on offense in the early stages, the Kings asserted dominance on the boards, tallying six offensive rebounds in the opening quarter. With ample second-chance opportunities, Sacramento surged ahead to a commanding 31-22 lead at the conclusion of the first frame.

The Kings opened the second quarter with authority, constructing a formidable 38-22 lead before the Dubs managed to sink a field goal. However, Golden State's youthful wing tandem of Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga injected much-needed energy off the bench, halting the Kings' momentum.

Moody initiated the comeback with a timely 3-pointer, followed by an assist and a trip to the free-throw line, steadily chipping away at the deficit. Then, Kuminga took matters into his own hands, orchestrating a remarkable 6-0 run to narrow the gap to 48-40.

The remainder of the second quarter unfolded in a back-and-forth fashion, ultimately concluding with the Kings maintaining a slim 54-50 advantage at halftime.

In the fourth quarter, Warriors fans endured a distressingly familiar sight. Despite Curry's unwavering determination to rally his team, relentlessly driving and attempting to dictate the tempo, Sacramento's offense continued to flourish, eluding the Dubs' defensive efforts.

The Kings employed a defensive strategy focusing on containing Curry. While Curry managed to notch 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting from the field, his valiant efforts fell short, especially compounded by his six turnovers.