The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is jubilant leading with 47 points over the visiting Sacramento Kings at Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Nov 7, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (4-7) returned home after losing five games in a row on the road trip. Their opponent Monday night was the revamped Sacramento Kings (3-6). The Kings beat Charlotte and Orlando on their road trip but lost to the Miami Heat when the referees missed a traveling violation.

Kings’ head coach, Mike Brown, has his team playing much better this season. The Kings gave the Warriors a tussle Monday before losing 116-113. Fans at the Chase Center saw Warrior guard Stephen Curry do his magic as he led his team to the win. He carried the team in the first half. Curry was at his best when things looked bleak in the fourth quarter. Curry played 37 minutes and tallied 47 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and knocked down seven threes. It was a most impressive performance.

The Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was concerned about the Warriors failure to play defense on the road. The team had allowed over 122 points a game while losing five in a row. Kerr was trying to determine who would be in his second unit. Kerr made some changes, and his team responded with a win. 

The Warriors starting five got a good start in the first quarter. They led 27-15 about halfway through the period. Kerr made his first substitutions of the night, sending in Jordan Poole and Anthony Lamb. Jonathan Kuminga entered a few moments later. The Kings caught fire at this point. Sacramento went on a 16-2 run to finish the quarter with a two-point lead, 31-29.

Sacramento, led by Domantis Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, and Malik Monk, extended their lead to eight, 48-40. Curry made a three and a two-pointer to close the gap to 50-45. The Warriors trailed by four when Sacramento went on a 10-4 run to end the first half with a 12-point advantage, 67-55.

De’Aaron Fox paced the Kings’ offense with 18 points. Sabonis had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Malik Monk added 17. The Kings connected on ten three-point shots. The Warriors made five. Sacramento made 19 free throws in the first half. Curry had 22 points to lead the team. Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green each scored eight. 

If the Warriors hoped to win the game, they knew they had to dominate the third quarter as they have done so many times. 

The Warriors came out firing on all cylinders. They went on a 13-2 run to make it a 69-68 game. Wiggins and Thompson each made a three in the run. The Kings regrouped and fought back. Every time the Warriors closed the gap, the Kings answered with a bucket. The Warriors won the quarter by three points and trailed by nine, 88-79. 

The Warriors had to find a way to win the game. They had to stop the Kings’ offense and find a way to get someone other than Curry to make plays. Andrew Wiggins stepped up his game in the fourth quarter. Wiggins connected on a three to make it 88-82.

The Kings scored the next four points. Wiggins scored a deuce to make it 92-84. Sacramento hit a three. Curry scored a bucket and was fouled. He made the free throw. Thompson connected on a three. The Warriors trailed by five 95-90. Sacramento refused to cave.

With the score 100-92, Wiggins made another bucker. Curry followed with a three. The Warriors trailed 100-97 with five minutes left in the game. There was still plenty of time left to pull out a win. Could the defense hold down the Kings’ offense? Could they stop Sabonis, Fox, and company? The Warriors answered in the affirmative. Warriors made a three to bring the Warriors to within three 102-99. Sacramento increased the lead to five 107-102. Wiggins made another three with 2:26 left.

The Warriors trailed 107-105. Curry took charge. Curry’s two-pointer tied the game at 107. He hit a three to give the Warriors their first lead since the first quarter when they led 29-28. The Kings fought back. They hit a bucket. Curry answered with another two-point play to make it 112-109. Sacramento scored. Green scored. The Kings came back 114-113 with 25 seconds left. Curry ended the scoring when he was fouled with 1.3 seconds left. He made both free throws to ice the win for Golden State.

Game Notes: The Warriors are now 4-7, and The Kings are 3-5. The Warriors meet the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Chase Center Friday night. They play the Kings again Sunday night at the Golden 1 center in Sacramento.

The story of the game was Curry. He was magnificent in leading his team to victory. He scored 47 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and seven threes. Wiggins had a double-double with 25 points and ten rebounds. Wiggins connected on four threes. Thompson added 16 points. Thompson made three threes. Green had 11 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Poole scored just two points. 

The Warriors won the second half 61-46. The Kings made ten threes in the first half but only four in the second. The Warriors story was just the opposite. They made five threes in the first half and nine in the second. The Warriors shot 50% from the field and held the Kings to 40.7% 

The Kings had five players in double figures. Sabonis finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Fox had 28, Monk 24, Davion Mitchell 12, and Kevin Huerter 11.

Kerr said he was pleased with his team’s energy in the fourth quarter. Kerr knew the Warriors had to improve on defense as well. They did what they had to do to win and snap the five-game losing streak.