Warriors vs. Kings: New Stars Clash as Playoff Push Heats Up

Two familiar Northern California rivals meet again, but this time, with new weapons in their arsenal. The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, tied for ninth place in the Western Conference, will battle Friday night as they aim to surge up the standings in the second half of the NBA season.

Both teams made bold moves at the trade deadline, with Golden State adding Jimmy Butler and Sacramento bringing in Zach LaVine. Now, with both stars settling into their new squads, this matchup could be a preview of an intense postseason showdown.

Jimmy Butler Brings Championship Swagger to Golden State

Since acquiring six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from Miami, the Warriors (27-26) have gone 3-1, all on the road. Butler, who hadn’t played since Jan. 21 before making his Warriors debut, has wasted no time making an impact, averaging 21.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in his first four games.

Beyond the stats, Butler’s presence has reignited Golden State’s confidence—just ask Draymond Green, who made an emphatic declaration during the All-Star break:

“I think we’re gonna win the championship… No, I lied. We ARE going to win the championship.”

While Green’s confidence is sky-high, head coach Steve Kerr sees Butler’s value in the intangibles.

“The West has gotten so much better, and frankly, we needed what Jimmy is bringing—star confidence,” Kerr said. “You can just feel his presence and his force. It’s infusing the team with some new energy that we needed.”

One of the biggest changes Butler has brought? Aggressiveness at the free-throw line. Golden State averaged just 20.4 free-throw attempts in its first 51 games but has jumped to 27.5 per game in Butler’s four outings. That ability to get to the line has helped the Warriors close games more effectively.

Zach LaVine Sparks Kings’ Offense in Playoff Push

Sacramento (27-26) also made a splash at the trade deadline, acquiring Zach LaVine from Chicago in a three-team deal that sent De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio. After a slow start in his first two games with the Kings, LaVine has found his groove, averaging 23.5 points and 6.5 assists in the past four games.

His best performance yet came in the Kings’ final game before the break, where he erupted for 32 points and 10 assists in a 140-133 overtime loss at New Orleans.

LaVine has emphasized that Sacramento’s offensive resurgence is no fluke.

“We’re making up ground,” he said. “We need to figure out how to make the game easier for us—get out in transition and pressure the defense.”

That mindset has helped the Kings average 126.0 points per game in their last four contests, a significant jump from the six previous games, where they failed to reach 117 points.

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Head-to-Head: Can the Warriors Avoid a Season Sweep?

The Kings won both matchups in January, beating the Warriors 129-99 in San Francisco and 123-117 at home. However, this time around, both teams look different.

• Key absences for Sacramento: The Kings will be without Kevin Huerter, who was traded to Chicago, and De’Aaron Fox, their leading scorer in the previous meetings, now in San Antonio.
• New stars on display: With LaVine and Butler now in the mix, this game presents a fresh challenge for both teams.

With both squads aiming for higher playoff seeding, expect an intense battle in Sacramento.