It has been nearly a week since the 2023 NBA Playoffs arrived, but they have already created some big moments. Particularly, the series between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings is emerging as one of the best so far. With the Golden State set to host Sacramento on Sunday, it means it is time for some Warriors Game 4 bold predictions.
The Warriors had many ups and downs in the regular season. After winning the 2022 NBA Finals, the team lost multiple important rotational pieces and had nine fewer wins than in its championship campaign. Still, with a 44-38 record, Golden State managed to secure the final direct playoff spot in the Western Conference.
On the other side of the series, the Kings had one of the most surprising campaigns of the 2022-23 season. The team finished 48-34 and secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Most importantly, Sacramento clinched a playoff spot for the first time after a 16-year hiatus.
In Game 1 of the series, Sacramento won 126-123 in dramatic fashion at Golden 1 Center. The team followed that performance with another victory, this time a 114-106 win thanks to a 41-point second quarter. In Game 3, even with Draymond Green serving a suspension, the Warriors got their first win of the series with a 114-97 blowout at Chase Center.
With so much at stake, the next contest could determine the fate of the series. Here are some bold predictions for the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series with the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
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3. Golden State forces Sacramento into 15+ turnovers
If two players could be crucial for the Kings on Sunday, it is De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. The duo is coming off career years in the league, with Fox winning the inaugural NBA Clutch Player of the Year award and being an All-Star alongside Sabonis.
So far in the series, Fox is averaging a team-best 29.3 points, 7.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game. He is shooting 44.4% of his field goals, 33.3% of his 3-pointers and 68.2% of his free throws.
The Lithuanian big man is putting up 17 points, 13.7 boards and 3.3 assists with 1.7 steals. He is making 46.5% of his shots and 61.1% of his attempts from the charity stripe.
However, both players have had the same problem so. Fox is turning the ball over three times per game while Sabonis is averaging over four turnovers. With the Kings struggling to take care of the ball, the Warriors could take advantage.
The bold prediction is that Golden State will force 15-plus turnovers from Sacramento's offense, with Fox and Sabonis leading Sacramento in giveaways. Should that happen, the Kings will have a tough time overcoming that issue.
2. Stephen Curry goes off with 40+ points and 5+ 3-pointers
As for the Warriors, they will need everything they can get from their stars, especially Stephen Curry. The reigning Finals MVP has been extremely important in Golden State's success for the past decade and is trying to keep it going this year.
In the regular season, Curry averaged a team-best 29.4 points, 6.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds. He shot 49.3% from the field, 42.7% from the 3-point line and 91.5% from the charity stripe. So far in the playoffs, Curry is putting up 31.3 points and hitting 38.5% of his 3-pointers.
His best performance came in Game 3. Curry had 36 points on 12-for-25 shooting, including hitting six 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists with two steals and a block. He had the highest plus/minus of the game at +24.
If Curry is anywhere close to where he was in Game 3, the Warriors are in a good position to even the series. The bold prediction is that he will go off with 40-plus points and five-plus makes from long distance.
1. Warriors tie the series 2-2
One thing that will likely continue to be a factor for Golden State on Sunday is Chase Center. In the regular season, the team went just 11-30 on the road. However, the Warriors had one of the best home records in the league, going 33-8 in San Francisco.
It seems that home-court advantage and momentum from Game 3 should help the Warriors in Game 4. They are the favorites to win this matchup, according to FanDuel. The spread is currently -7.5, which is the largest among games with odds already announced.
Since coming down from 3-1 is a hard task, Golden State will try to make the most out of Game 4. With Green back in the lineup, the team could be even better than it was on Thursday night.
The bold prediction is that the Warriors will win and tie the series 2-2, turning an already epic first-round series into a best-of-three.
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