LIGHT THE BEAM: The Kings Stared The Defending Champs Right In The Face And Took Game 1 In Dramatic Fashion

Rocky Widner. Getty Images.

LIGHT THE BEAM! LIGHT THE BEAM! LIGHT THE BEAM!

Holy shit do the NBA Playoffs rule. The first two games of the day were rather noncompetitive, like most expected. The final two? 10 out of 10, would highly recommend. Cavs/Knicks lived up to the hype and then GS/SAC took it up a few levels. A 17 year wait that I imagine was well worth it after what we just witnessed. Two incredible offenses throwing haymakers left and right, neither side able to really get any sort of separation. Any time it looked like maybe someone was going to pull away, the other side immediately responded with a quick 6-0 run to bring it back to a 2 possession game.

Heading into this game, all we heard about was how the Warriors got the best playoff draw. They didn't have to travel all that much for a team that is flat out terrible on the road, and their championship experience was going up against a team that had never been this far before. Many people expect the Warriors to roll through this series, that the Kings have no chance.

And you know what? We have no idea who is going to be the first to 4 wins, but we know who is the first to 1, and it ain't the Warriors

Advertisement

The Kings won this game by doing what they do best. They played fast, they shot the ball with confidence, they hit the offensive glass, and when the game got into winning time they gave the ball to De'Aaron Fox and got the hell out of the way. He's been the best clutch player in the NBA all year, he's going to win the Clutch Award (or at least he should), and when someone had to step up and go blow to blow with Steph Curry, Fox rose to the occasion.

While he had some help from Malik Monk late, the way Fox completely controlled the last 5 minutes of the game was beautiful to watch. He was aggressive when he had to be, he knocked down huge response 3PA when the Kings needed something to fend off a Warriors run. He made his FTs when he had to. A big time close by a guy who has been doing it all year.

Advertisement

You have to understand, trying to take down Steph Curry is such a pain in the ass. He never goes away. He hits shots that make no goddamn sense in huge moments, like this corner three

He's a basketball demon. I honestly can't believe he missed that last look given how wide open it was. I audibly gasped. If we're in the trust tree, that entire Steph 4th quarter was very triggering for me. PTSD like you read about of the time that man ripped my heart completely out of my chest.

But this isn't about last June. This is about tonight and the fact that the Kings just told the basketball world it's time to give them their fucking respect. They are the 3 seed for a reason. What we watched tonight is not new, nor is it a fluke. This is how the Kings play ever since they've found a way to harness the power of the Victory Beam. Still doubt the powers of that thing? The Kings just won a goddamn home playoff game against a fully healthy defending champs. That is a real sentence. 

Aside from having a 1-0 lead, a win like this tells the Kings that they CAN hang with GS despite what the talking heads might think. There are plenty of things they are going to have to clean up in Game 2, but the Kings have no problem getting into a track meet with you on the basketball court. That's their style. Getting that first win under your belt has to be such a weight lifted off your shoulders so now you can just play. Protect home court and then try and steal one in Oakland. You know the Warriors are still going to be coming at you, and I think we can all agree that it would be pretty great to get 7 of these things.

Great win, great game, great playoffs.

Now go light that beam.