4 Observations: Warriors Lose to Sacramento Kings in Absorbing Game 2

• The Golden State Warriors are 2-0 down in a playoff series for the first time in Stephen Curry's era
• They lost 106-114 to the Sacramento Kings in Game 2 in an entertaining encounter at the Golden 1 Center
• The defending champions failed to slow down a hungry Kings team, making several costly mistakes

The Golden State Warriors are in deep trouble.

The defending NBA champions produced another underwhelming display in Game 2 against the Sacramento Kings, going 0-2 down in the first round of the best-of-seven series. Steve Kerr's team lost 106-114.

This is the first time the Warriors have gone down 2-0 down in a playoff series for the first time since their dynasty began in 2015.

Much of what plagued them during the regular season has followed them in the playoffs. Inexplicable turnovers, fouls, and crumbling late in the game. Here are four observations from Game 2.

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Observations from Warriors vs. Kings

Draymond Green goes berserk

Green is known for his fiery competitive spirit. He is the reason why the Warriors have four NBA championships in eight years. Against the Kings, however, he went overboard. In the fourth quarter, Kings' sixth man Malik Monk missed a floater, and in the subsequent scramble for the rebound, big man Domantas Sabonis was knocked to the floor.

While on the floor, he grabbed Green's leg, and the Warriors veteran responded by stomping on his chest. Green was called for a flagrant foul 2 that led to an automatic ejection. This isn't the first time Green has been ejected from a playoff game. He was tossed in the 2016 NBA Finals for accumulating too many flagrant fouls.

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Given the magnitude of this game, the veteran needed to keep his emotions in check. His actions were detrimental to the team, but they have two home games to set it right.

Warriors bench struggles

The Warriors' bench was poor in Game 2. Monk's 32 points in Game 1 saw the Kings win the bench battle. In Game 2, the Warriors bench scored 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting. The Kings bench, in contrast, got 36 points on 13-of-29 shooting.

Poole finished with 4 points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field and 0-of-3 from deep. Donte DiVincenzo was poor, failing to take a shot, the same as Jonathan Kuminga. DiVincenzo was -13 in 13 minutes, while Kuminga was -10 in four minutes. Gary Payton II and Moses Moody contributed 17 points from the bench, per ESPN.

The Kings' bench had a total of 36 points.

Impressive Malik Monk

Monk is the story of the series so far. In his two games against the Warriors, he has scored 50 points. The Kings struggled in the first quarter in Game 2. Monk inspired his team to a 23-9 run in the second quarter as they scored 41 points.

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With the Warriors' bench failing to turn up in Game 2, Monk is looking like an X-Factor already. The reigning champions will need to contain him in Game 3 at home, per NBC Sports.

Turnover and foul-prone Warriors

The Warriors had 22 turnovers and 26 personal fouls in Game 2, per NBA.

In Game 1, Mike Brown's team turned 15 Warriors turnovers into 16 points. In Game 2, the Kings scored their first eight points off Warriors' turnovers and had 16 off Warriors' turnovers by halftime. The Kings scored 25 points from 22 Warriors turnovers. The Kings had 11 steals. Harrison Barnes (four), Fox (three), and Davion Mitchell (two) had multiple steals.

The Warriors will need to dig themselves out of the 2-0 hole they find themselves in, in Game 3. Taking care of the ball will be the priority if they want to even the series.

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Curry not panicking

Sports Brief earlier reported on Curry saying they are not panicking after losing Game 1. Game 3 will be important since they can't afford to go 0-3 down

Curry and the Warriors have been down 3-1 and 2-1 in the playoffs and came back to win.

“That’s what we live for,” Curry said. “We thrive in these situations. It’s so different than the regular season because you’re playing the same team, and that little bit of an advantage mentally, seeing the game making those adjustments, it matters."