Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was all smiles as he finished on top in scoring with 37 points against the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Apr 25, 2021 (@warriors photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (31-39) hosted the Sacramento Kings (24-36) at the Chase Center Sunday night. The Warriors were hoping to exact revenge for their loss to Sacramento on March 25th. Stephen Curry was not in the lineup due to an injury that night. The Kings’ De’ Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Tyrese Haliburton had their way the Warriors that night as they ran the Warriors off the court with a resounding 141-119 win.

Fox paced the Kings with 44 points. On Sunday night, Fox was not in the Kings’ lineup. The Warriors were missing two stalwarts, Daminon Lee and Kent Bazemore. The two Warrior players were out due to the NBA’s Covid-19 protocols. Mychal Mulder was in the lineup in place of Bazemore. The Warriors got their revenge as they beat the Kings 117-113 on Sunday night.

The game was a barnburner for all 48 minutes. The largest lead any team had was seven points. The first half was full of action as both teams raced up and down the court as the lead changed hands several times. Former Warrior, Harrison Barnes, tormented his old mates as he knocked down four threes in the first quarter to pace the Kings to a 39-32 lead after the first 12 minutes of play/ Curry had 11 for Golden State. Gary Payton II played his only five minutes of the game in the first quarter, and he helped by hitting two threes and finishing with seven points.

The Warriors outscored the Kings 31-26 in the second quarter. Kelly Oubre, Jr., coming off the bench, continued to excel. The Warriors were able to take the lead 57-56 when Andrew Wiggins connected on a three. The Kings didn’t wilt.

They fought back and were able to regain the lead to have the advantage, 65-63 at the end of the first half. Curry paced the Warrior offense with 23. Curry knocked down five threes in the first half. Oubre had 12, Wiggins seven. The Kings’ sharpshooter from 3-point range, Buddy Hield, led Sacramento with 19. Harrison Barnes had 16, and Richaun Holmes eight. The Warrior bench outscored the Kings’ bench 25-14.

The Warriors played well on both ends of the court in the third period. The Warriors’ Curry and Mychal Mulder each connected on two threes. The Warriors owned their biggest lead of the night, 89-83. Sacramento continued to fight back. The quarter ended with the Warriors holding a slim two-point advantage 94-92. Both teams knew the final 12 minutes of play would determine the outcome. The only question to be answered was which team wanted it more.

The Kings scored the first four points of the fourth quarter from the foul line. They led 96-94. Sacramento kept the lead until Draymond Green tied the game at 107-107. Sacramento went ahead 109-107. Kelly Oubre was fouled making a bucket. Oubre completed the three-point play to put the Warriors ahead 110-109.

Sacramento answered with a bucket to lead 111-110. Oubre scored again to make it 112-111 with 1:37 left. The Warriors increased the lead to three 114-111 when Green knocked down a deuce. The Kings came back with a bucket of their own to close within one 114-113.

The Warriors dodged a bullet when they turned the ball over to Buddy Hield in the Sacramento end of the court. Hield lost the ball out of bounds with 13 seconds left. The Kings had a foul to give. The Kings fouled Curry with 11.7 seconds left to play.

They fouled Curry again with 9.2 seconds left. Curry missed the first free throw. He made the second to give the Warriors a two-point advantage 115-113. If Sacramento made a three, they would win. A two-point basket would tie the game. The Kings inbounded the ball to Harrison Barnes. Barnes was open for a three, but his shot was off the mark. Curry grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws to win it for the Warriors 117-113.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 31-30 for the year. Golden State has won eight of the last 11 games. The Kings are 24-36.

Curry’s line for the night was 37 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. It was the 30th game this season that Curry had posted thirty or more points. Kelly Oubre finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. Andrew Wiggins had 13, Mychal Mulder, 11, and Juan Toscano-Anderson, 10. Kevon Looney had eight points and eight rebounds.

Green had another double-double. Green scored eight points, pulled down 14 boards, and recorded 13 assists. As a team, the Warriors shot 485 from the floor. They made fourteen threes in 36 tries. They outrebounded the Kings 58-45. They continued to move the ball well as they recorded 30 assists on 46 made field goals.

Buddy Hield led the Kings with 25 points. Hield made six threes in a losing cause. Rookie Tyrese Haliburton finished with 24. Harrison Barnes had 23, Richaun Holmes 11. 

The Warriors host the Dallas Mavericks at the Chase Center Tuesday night. The game will start at 7 pm.