Last season, the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Sacramento Kings by mounting a comeback to secure a seven-game first-round playoff series victory, with the final game taking place in the capital city of California.

Once more, the Warriors will aim to disappoint the home team Sacramento on Tuesday night in a do-or-die Western Conference play-in game.

The victorious team between the No. 10 seed Warriors (46-36) and the No. 9 Kings (46-36) will progress to face either the No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers or the No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening.

The winner of the Friday match will advance to challenge the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs.

Draymond Green from Golden State is confident that his team will still be in action next week.

“We just got to go win,” Green said. “When this team’s back is against the wall, I like how this group shows up.”

Green anticipates a reception of loud boos once again as he steps onto the court in Sacramento. His playoff antics from the previous season have not faded from memory, constituting part of a memorable series where the Kings initially won the first two games before the Warriors bounced back to claim victory in four of the last five games.

Although it was Stephen Curry‘s extraordinary 50-point performance in Game 7 that propelled the Warriors forward, Green’s controversial act of stomping on Domantas Sabonis from the Kings during the fourth quarter of Game 2 remains an unforgettable moment from the series.

“It kind of has brewed into (a rivalry),” said Green, “but for us, it’s another game we have to go win. We’ve got to get it done.”

Sabonis is having an exceptional season with 77 double-doubles and has been a key contributor alongside the standout point guard De’Aaron Fox in driving the Kings into the playoffs for the second consecutive season following 16 years of unsuccessful campaigns.

The past years of disappointment made last season’s playoff exit particularly bitter for Sacramento.

“It’s exciting,” Kings guard Davion Mitchell said of facing Golden State. “We get to get a little payback for last year. We know they’re going to come here with energy.”

“It’s a home game. We know it’s going to be loud. It’s going to be physical. I think we are ready for it.”

Sacramento faced a stumble towards the end, losing five out of six games before dominating the Portland Trail Blazers with a resounding 121-82 victory in the final regular-season game on Sunday.

The Kings were once eyeing a potential top-six playoff position when they were 13 games above .500 with only 11 games remaining. However, a 4-7 finish resulted in Sacramento landing in the high-stakes 9 vs. 10 playoff game.

“We welcome anybody that’s in front of us,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said. “We are just excited about an opportunity to play.”

“And again, situations like this, we as a group right now, haven’t been through. And so to go play one game right now, that’s how I look at it and swing for the fences. Try to get a win.”

The Warriors concluded the season strongly with 10 wins in 12 games, including a 123-116 victory over the Utah Jazz in their last home game.

Under the guidance of coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors didn’t maintain a winning record until February 15. After being five games below .500 on January 27, they went on to achieve a 27-12 record for the remainder of the regular season.

“We have a really good connection on this team, good chemistry, guys pulling for each other. So I’ve got a good feeling about what’s ahead,” Kerr said. “I think we still have a chance to do something special.

“Now, obviously, it’s (the) NCAA Tournament. We’ve got to get out of the first weekend here, win the first two and get to the first round, but we have a shot, so we’re excited about that.”

The teams split victories in their four meetings during the regular season, each winning one game on both Sacramento and San Francisco courts.