SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a barn burner of a series with the defending NBA champions, the Sacramento Kings are showing the nation that they are a team to be feared.
"What they have done is that they have put the league on notice that Sacramento is not the laughingstock of the NBA no more, that you got to put respect on their name,” ESPN analyst and NBA champion Kendrick Perkins told ABC10.
Perkins initially thought the Kings wouldn't make it to the playoffs, but now, he's favoring them against the Warriors in their best of 7 series.
Despite being deemed underdogs, the Kings struck first, taking down Golden State in Games 1 and 2. But the Warriors struck back, eventually leveling the playing field by Game 4 - but just barely.
“I'm looking at the Warriors, and for the first time, there was times throughout the course of this series where I actually saw doubt… I saw the Kings make them uncomfortable and uncertain in certain situations,” said Perkins, as he praised the efforts of Kings like Davion Mitchell and Harrison Barnes.
Perkins said Game 4 is when he knew the Kings had their system figured out and might take this series to Game 7.
"At the end of the day Sacramento has home court, and I think they're going to benefit from that, which is going to help them win this series,” said Perkins.
He said the team has different players that can lead the box score every night, including an All-Star in Domantas Sabonis and a superstar in De'Aaron Fox. The whole team's efforts and the Sacramento fans are changing the narrative on the Kings, who he thinks have the ability to become NBA champions in a few years.
“I think the only thing that could hold them back from actually getting to the championship, or winning a championship, is experience. This team just needs a couple more years, but they're right there knocking at the door,” said Perkins.
While Kings star De'Aaron Fox is expected to be doubtful for Game 5 after a finger injury, Perkins believes injury won't be keeping Fox off the floor.
“He's been waiting for this moment. And I don't see him not trying to go or even going, and I don't think it's going to affect him. I mean, he hurt his finger in the first quarter last night, he still was getting buckets,” said Perkins.
WATCH ALSO:
