Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, front right, tries to get around Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, during the first half of Game 6 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Apr 28, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Sacramento Kings tipped off against the Warriors Friday night at the Chase Center. The Kings, facing elimination with their back to the wall, did what was necessary to beat the Warriors 118-99. Mike Brown, the former Warriors’ assistant head coach, had his team ready.

Brown took a page from the Warriors’ game plan when he used Trey Lyles in the number-five slot. Brown had Domantas Sobonis on the bench and went with a small lineup. That decision turned the tide for Sacramento. The Kings did everything right. The stats show the Kings took more shots than the Warriors.

They held the Warriors to 37% from the floor. It was the Warriors’ worst offensive performance at home this season. The Kings made more three-point shots. They made 17, while the Warriors connected on ten. The Kings outrebounded the Warriors 66-60. The Warriors recorded 20 assists.

When the Warriors are on their game, they usually make close to 30 assists. The low assist total indicated the Warriors needed to move the ball better. Too many Warriors were trying to make plays rather than find the open man. The Kings’ bench, led by Malik Monk and Lyles, outscored the Warriors bench 52-21. Draymond Green scored 21 points on Wednesday and was held to four. Jordan Poole was guilty of too many turnovers and sloppy plays. Poole finished with seven points.

The first quarter was a defensive struggle. The Kings got off to an early 8-0 lead. The Warriors put points on the board, and the lead changed hands several times in the first quarter. Golden State led 25-23 after the first period. The Kings won the second quarter 35-26 to finish the first half with a seven-point advantage 58-51.

The Kings’ Keegan Murray paced the team with 12 points. Murray connected on four threes. De’Aaron Fox had ten, Monk 11, Lyles nine, and Sabonis five. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 16. Stephen Curry had 13. The Kings took nine more shots in the first half, 54 to 45.

The Warriors knew they would have to play better in the third quarter to win. They had to find a way to stop committing turnovers and make stops on defense. Neither happened. The Kings, behind the play of Monk and Lyles, paced the Kings to a 90-80 lead after three quarters. Lyles played more in the third period as Sabonis had to sit on the bench with five fouls.

The Warriors knew a ten-point lead was relatively easy to overcome when trailing to start the fourth quarter. They had to attack the basket, find the open man, and make some threes. The Kings had other thoughts. They knew they had to play well on both ends of the court.

They accomplished their objective. Every time the Warriors made a three, the Kings answered with one of their own. They were blocking shots, rebounding, and getting second-chance points. Their hard work was rewarded with a win.
Sacramento beat the Warriors to force a game seven. The game will be played at the Golden 1 Arena on Sunday. The game will start at 12:30 pm.