The NBA Playoffs will include all four of the league’s California teams, the first time the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are in the postseason since sharing statehood.
The NBA has had four teams in California for 38 years, dating back to the Kings’ relocation from Kansas City to Sacramento.
The Kings have called Sacramento home since 1985 and played at the original ARCO Arena until the second and now-demolished ARCO Arena from 1988 to 2016.
The Kings now play at the Golden 1 Center, where they will host the Warriors for Game 1 of a first round series in the first-ever playoff matchup between the two Northern California squads.
Here’s how all four California teams secured their spot in the playoffs.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings are in the playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons and are the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 48-24 record. The franchise also won its first Pacific Division title since 2003.
Prior to the 2022-23 season, the Kings had the longest playoff drought in NBA history and the longest active non-playoff streak in U.S. professional sports.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are the defending champions and enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference after finishing the season at 44-38.
Golden State made its push to the playoffs after winning its last eight of 10 games down the stretch.
Game 1 between the Kings and Warriors is set to start at 5:30 p.m. from the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers got off to an abysmal start at 2-10, but after retooling their roster with multiple trades during the season, the team earned their way to a playoff berth.
Los Angeles enters the playoffs as the No. 7 seed after capturing a 108-102 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Play-In Tourament.
The Lakers finished the regular season at 43-39 and will face the 2-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The Grizzlies enter the playoffs at 51-31.
Game 1 of the Lakers and Grizzlies series is set to start Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers
After winning their final three games of the season, the Clippers enter the playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 5 seed at 44-38.
The Clippers will take on 4th-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round, with the latter winning seven of their final 10 games.
Along with all of the California teams, the Suns, which are part of the Pacific Division, made it the only division in the league where each team qualified for the playoffs.
Game 1 of the Clippers and Suns series is set to start Sunday at 5 p.m.
