Postgame notes: ‘Tentative’ Kings dominated by Warriors | The Sacramento Bee

OAKLAND The Golden State Warriors are playing for the playoffs and wasted little time disposing of the Kings, 102-69, Friday night at Oracle Arena.

The Kings looked outmatched and unable to deal with the intensity the Warriors had to start the game.

The Kings trailed by as many as 42 points and the game wasn’t competitive from early in the first quarter.

It was the worst showing by the Kings on several levels.

• Their point total was the lowest of the season.

• Their 27 points in the first half were a season low. It was Sacramento’s worst half since 23 points at Dallas, Jan. 14, 2012.

• The Kings shot a season-low 17.9 percent in the first half (7 for 39).

• Overall, the Kings shot a season-worst 32.1 percent.

• With the win, the Warriors swept the season series 40, the first sweep of the Kings since 1991-92 (5-0).

That doesn’t include the nine turnovers in the first quarter and 16 for the game.

The Kings never recovered from early foul trouble for DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. Cousins picked up two fouls in the first two minutes.

“I have to look at film because I didn’t see fouls to be honest,” said Kings coach Michael Malone. “Those first two fouls ... I didn’t see a foul, that’s all that I’ll say.”

Said Cousins: “I think the situation kind of rattled us and we just never recovered.”

Malone did say the game was not about bad officiating. It was about his team being dominated by the Warriors.

The Kings looked rattled all night.

“They’re a very good defensive team, so give them credit, but I also thought that we were tentative,” Malone said. “I thought we played soft for long stretches tonight. We were not aggressive. We were very hesitant. They had us on our heels, and obviously, when you lose DeMarcus and Rudy, there goes a lot of your scoring.”

The Warriors had fun at the Kings’ expense, running onto the floor from the bench to celebrate dunks. The Kings never responded.

Sunday’s opponent, Dallas, is also trying to solidify playoff position.

If the Kings come out with a tentative effort, the score could look a lot like Friday night’s

“My challenge to them and the whole team is, ‘How do we respond from our effort tonight?’” Malone said. “That’s not who we’ve been this whole year. That is a very surprising effort on our part. We haven’t done that very often at all this year, so I’m surprised in our effort and hopefully we can respond on Sunday.”

• Gay’s wife, Ecko, is in Memphis, ready to give birth to the the couple’s first child. Gay admits he’s nervous right now and checking his phone constantly and is ready to head to Memphis if and when he is given the word.

The couple’s first child will be a boy.