Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith believe Warriors-Kings Game 3 is a ‘must-win’ for Sacramento despite leading the series 2-0 – as Charles Barkley says Steve Kerr ‘gotta make a change’
- Charles Barkley has called on Steve Kerr to bring his young core to the fore in G3
- The Warriors host Game 3 and 4 in SF but are without Draymond Green tonight
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Both Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith believe this is a need-it game for the Sacramento Kings despite leading Golden State 2-0 in the first-round Western Conference playoff series.
The Kings have lit the beam after the most recent games and taken care of business of its home court. Now, they face a different test on the court tonight in San Francisco.
‘Must-win game for both teams, especially Golden State,’ O’Neal said Wednesday night on TNT.
Surprised at the inclusion of Sacramento, Ernie Johnson quizzed The Big Aristotle as to why. ‘Because they got to put this team away,’ he replied. ‘Sacramento has to put this team away.’
Smith concurred with O’Neal’s sentiment despite the Warriors facing an uphill battle to take control, let alone win, the series.
Both Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith believe tonight’s Game 3 in SF is a must-win for SAC
‘This is a must-win,’ Smith said. ‘I think you can’t give the Golden State Warriors momentum.’
Charles Barkley ‘totally disagreed’ with that take, suggesting the reigning NBA champions have zero momentum at present.
‘They gotta win in Sacramento,’ Barkley said, referring to the Warriors’ path to ascendency in the series.
‘They’ve been awful on the road all year. They got to figure out a way to play them young guys. Them old guys can’t stop Sacramento.
‘I think Steve Kerr gotta make a change himself,’ Barkley added. ‘I have told you guys for the last six months, they got to start playing those young guys. They’re gonna be the difference in their season.
‘[Jordan] Poole, [Jonathan] Kuminga, [Moses] Moody they got to play some young guys because realistically, those young guys from Sacramento they’re faster, they’re quicker, they can’t guard them on the perimeter. They just gotta go young.
The Warriors and Kings play at the Chase Center in San Francisco for Games 3 and 4, beginning tonight at 10pm ET.
Charles Barkley has called on Jordan Poole and the Warriors’ young core to play more in G3
Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox has been an unsolvable problem for the reigning champs
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