© Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
No one expected the Sacramento Kings to challenge the Warriors. No one expected that even in a preseason game and even with the Warriors missing two stars. Those expectations were spot on as the Warriors put on a clinic, beating the Kings 122-94 in Seattle’s KeyArena Friday night.
It was the first game that’s been played there since the SuperSonics ceased to “exist” in 2008. As expected Seattle fans were full of energy throughout a preseason matchup that felt more genuine in spirit than many regular season games.
Kevin Durant’s homecoming
Durant opened his return to Seattle with an abbreviated thank you speech to the Seattle fans while donning a Shawn Kemp SuperSonics jersey. He displayed his usual excellence especially passing the ball. He, of course, had to add a tomahawk dunk to top off what was a fantastic night.
“I know it’s been a rough 10 years,” Durant said before the game. “The NBA is back in Seattle for tonight, hopefully it’s back forever soon… Thanks for the love.”
He headed to the bench to a rapturous applause with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. In his 26 minutes, he had 26 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.
Kerr gives camp invitees a chance in absence of Curry, Green
The starting lineup tonight was Tyler Ulis, Klay Thompson, Marcus Derrickson, Kevin Durant and Damian Jones. Draymond Green sat with knee soreness, while Stephen Curry didn’t travel with the team for personal reasons. His wife, Ayesha Curry, had a procedure done this morning.
Steph Curry is not playing tonight for personal reasons and Ayesha Curry posted this on instagram today. Sending good vibes for recovery ? pic.twitter.com/lCW1f6aVbb
— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) October 6, 2018
As Kerr said would be the case before the game, all 15 men on the roster received playing time. Derrickson was 2-for-3 from the field with a three-pointer and six rebounds. In his final season at Georgetown University, Derrickson shot 43 percent from three. So far, albeit in limited bursts, Derrickson has shown he can bring that range to the NBA level. It may well earn him a roster spot if the Warriors cannot come to terms with Patrick McCaw, whether that’s a two-way contract or otherwise.
Damian Jones also had a good game, with seven points and seven boards, while Ulis was also active, picking up four assists and a pair of steals. The young center competition between Jones, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell still remains decidedly undecided, and appears likely to be a center by committee situation heading into the regular season.
Klay Thompson still a microwave
While it’s just the preseason, Thompson was outrageously good. He opened the game by hitting five threes in less than seven minutes. He finished with 30 points, three assists, four rebounds and was 6-for-10 from three.
ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy was not pleased with Buddy Hield’s defense against Thompson.
“If he goes under one more screen, I’m going to lose my mind,” Van Gundy said. “Buddy Hield, you are guarding Klay Thompson.”
The Kings are still terrible
This is harsh, but it needs to be said. The Kings nearly relocated to Seattle in 2013, but the proposal fell through and the team stayed in Sacramento. While you have to assume Seattle fans will take any franchise they can get, the Kings have not finished with a record above .500 since 2006, when the team lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. It’s a franchise of dysfunction.
Now, they are a young team, with Marvin Bagley III, De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Hield leading their line and giving Kings fans just a sliver of hope for the future. Tonight, the Curry and Green-less Warriors put on a clinic against them. At the end of the first quarter, the Warriors led 39-15. For the vast majority of the game, the Warriors led by about 30 points, and it concluded as such. It does not inspire confidence for a franchise so accustomed to losing.
Seattle wants an NBA franchise
The atmosphere in KeyArena for the first NBA game since 2008 was unsurprisingly electric. There were almost constant “Super – Sonics” chants throughout the game. Both Durant and Steve Kerr have called for an NBA franchise to be returned to Seattle this week, and as one of the largest markets without a team, after having a historic one for so long, it’s odd to see the city devoid of an NBA team.
However, with the NBA reportedly set on the 30 teams it has already, expansion seems to be out of the question, at least for the moment. After the Kings move fell through in 2013, no franchise has looked particularly unsteady. Unfortunately, it may be awhile for Seattle fans who want an NBA team back.