Why history is on Warriors’ side in tied series vs. Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Warriors have been here before.
And for the Sacramento Kings, an NBA playoff series — let alone one against the defending champions — is entirely new ground.
With their opening-round series tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5 on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, recent history bodes well for Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his squad when it comes to earning two more wins and advancing in the postseason.
Every Warriors squad Kerr has coached has gone on to win postseason series that were tied 2-2. More specifically, Golden State has won four of its last five Game 5s under Kerr when the series was tied.
While none of those instances took place during the opening round of the NBA playoffs, the Warriors know what it takes to pull ahead in a postseason series with incredibly high stakes.
There is one major factor that will play into Game 5 on Wednesday, though — Golden State is on the road. The 2022-23 Warriors notoriously have played worse in away games than they have at Chase Center this season, and their sole Game 5 loss in a series tied 2-2 under Kerr came on the road against the Houston Rockets during the 2018 Western Conference Finals. The other four were at home.
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Kings fans at Golden 1 Center certainly will be just as rowdy as they were in Games 1 and 2 of the series, both of which Golden State lost in Sacramento. And with Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox vowing to play in Game 5 despite his broken finger, the Warriors face a sure challenge.
But if their past success means anything, the Warriors have a good chance at eliminating their Northern California counterparts in their quest to defend their NBA title.
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