Why the Kings' Upset Win vs. Warriors Actually Matters

The Sacramento Kings are well out of the playoff picture, as they were one of the first teams in the league to be eliminated from postseason contention this season, yet they are playing as hard as ever. On Friday night, the Kings hosted the Golden State Warriors for their final home game of the season, and picked up a huge 124-118 win.

Draymond Green suggested the Kings were trying to lose and the NBA launched an investigation for potential tanking after Tuesday's loss to the Warriors. On Friday, the Kings made a statement in their rematch against Golden State, embarrassing Green and everyone who thought Sacramento was trying to lose games. After the win, head coach Doug Christie explained why it was such an important win for his guys.

"The level of physicality, we always want to be the aggressor. We want to bomb first, as I say. We want to be physical and play the right way," Christie said. "... That type of intensity and competitiveness is what it's all about. That's why I say these reps for these guys are invaluable, because you're not going to get that anywhere. It's an NBA game versus the best players in the world, world champions. And the game gets a little testy, and you just don't get that in your average gym."

Kings' young core takes down Warriors' veterans

While the Kings have had an overall disappointing season, with just a 22-59 record with one game left, their young core has been a surprising bright spot. The Kings went into the season with a lack of direction, as many doubted their future outlook, but they certainly have some young guys to build around.

On Friday, the Kings were led by second-year guard Devin Carter, second-year wing Daeqwon Plowden, rookie guard Nique Clifford, and rookie center Maxime Raynaud. Those four guys each dropped 20 or more points in the win, taking down a veteran-led Warriors team.

career-high friar 😤 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SxDGMb3AMZ
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 11, 2026

While the Warriors have also fallen short of expectations this season, they were still led by Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis on Friday. This is a huge confidence boost for the Kings' young guys to be able to take down a group of All-Star players.

Sacramento's young core does not get this level of competition anywhere else, so letting them lead the team to close out the season will do wonders for their development. With improved health and a developed young core, the Kings could be a much better team next season.

Doug Christie is doing an incredible job of getting his guys to buy in, despite being one of the worst teams in the NBA, and it has paid off as they have an 8-9 record in their last 17 games. While they are hurting their chances of landing a top pick in the draft, stringing together some late-season wins will make a lasting impact on the team's culture.