The Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) gets some hang time against Golden State Warriors forward Kyle Anderson (1) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Oct 9, 2024 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times and Sports Radio Service)

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The Golden State Warriors are off to an impressive start in their preseason, offering a glimpse of what could be a thrilling regular season ahead. Wednesday night they slipped past the Sacramento Kings with a 122-112 win in the state capital.

The Warriors rolled out a fresh starting lineup featuring Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney.

Although Andrew Wiggins remained sidelined, the Warriors faced a strong challenge from the Sacramento Kings, with DeMar DeRozan putting up a perfect shooting performance, scoring 15 points without a miss. Early struggles in both offense and defense had the Warriors on their heels.

Things started to turn around once the Warriors went to their bench, closing the first quarter with a 31-27 lead. The second quarter saw them find their rhythm from beyond the arc, as Curry took charge and even Green knocked down a pair of threes.

Buddy Hield also heated up, hitting all four of his three-point attempts in the first half. Despite their efforts, the Kings held a narrow 68-66 lead at the break.

The second half brought more energy, with Curry, Green, and Looney resting while Hield, Kuminga, Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis picked up the pace. Their collective effort helped the Warriors build a seven-point lead, thanks to a flurry of three-pointers, ending the third quarter up 100-91.

Though the Kings’ bench made a final push in the fourth, narrowing the lead to 109-106, a well-timed timeout by coach Steve Kerr sparked a 13-0 Warriors run that secured the win and preserved their unbeaten preseason record.

Hield was a standout with 22 points, hitting six of seven from deep. De’Anthony Melton impressed with 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists, shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range. Kuminga matched Melton’s 16 points, shooting efficiently at 6-of-11 overall and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Curry chipped in 13 points, while Green contributed 10 points and five assists. Podziemski had an all-around performance with eight points, four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals, while Jackson-Davis recorded a +22 rating with eight points and six rebounds.

As the Warriors continue to build momentum, their depth and versatility are beginning to shine, making them a team to watch as the regular season approaches.

Mauricio Segura is owner/writer/photographer for Golden Bay Times and a reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com