SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Warriors stay within the hunt for a playoff spot after beating the Sacramento Kings 119-97 on Friday evening.
Coach Steve Kerr stated pre-game there was “no excuse” for the Warriors to let their guard down towards the Kings, who have been with out a number of key gamers after securing a playoff spot greater than every week in the past.
It was Kings coach Mike Brown’s resolution to sit down De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter on Friday. However the Warriors nonetheless struggled by way of sloppy play for many of the sport. Golden State pulled forward 32-16 after the opening quarter. However a sequence of careless Warriors turnovers and a flurry of second-quarter 3s by the house staff opened the door for the Kings to climb again into the sport earlier than the Warriors would go on to run away with it within the second half.
Klay Thompson buried a nook 3 on the 7:05 mark of the fourth to provide the Warriors a 20-point lead. Kerr began to drag his starters when it turned clear this sport was over with 4:22 left on the clock.
Thompson scored 29 factors and Stephen Curry added 25 because the Warriors picked up solely their tenth street victory of the season.
It wasn’t fairly — Golden State completed with 24 turnovers — nevertheless it’s one other tally within the win column, and that’s all that issues for the 43-38 Warriors at this level as they desperately attempt to keep out of the play-in match.
The surging New Orleans Pelicans beat the playoff-bound New York Knicks, who rested high scorers Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, earlier within the evening. The results of that sport worn out Golden State’s possibilities of locking up a top-six seed Friday.
The Warriors’ destiny shall be decided Sunday in Portland towards the Path Blazers, who’ve already waved the white flag on their season. A win of their regular-season finale would assure Golden State a top-six seed. A loss would put the defending champs in jeopardy of stumbling into the play-in match since different groups maintain the head-to-head tiebreaker.
However even with Portland anticipated to sit down out key gamers, together with star Damian Lillard, the Warriors can’t afford to lose their focus, which has been a reoccurring problem this season. That’s what they did in Denver final week when the Nuggets have been with out Nikola Jokic. Golden State squandered a double-figure lead and performed “senseless” basketball, in line with Kerr, earlier than its late rally fell quick within the loss.
“The factor for us is we bought to go in and attempt to win the sport and we get what we would like, and what we would like is to not be in that play-in sport, as simple as that,” Donte DiVincenzo stated when requested in regards to the staff’s mindset heading into Sunday’s sport. “If we win, we’re not within the play-in sport, and that’s our focus.”
Thompson agreed, calling Sunday a “must-win sport.
“It’s an effective way to prep for the playoffs,” he stated.
Golden State noticed its 17-point lead dwindle to 5 when halftime rolled round, although it may’ve been a lot worse if the Kings did a greater job capitalizing on the Warriors’ 12 first-half turnovers.
Kevon Looney pulled down 13 rebounds within the first two quarters, probably the most he’s had in a half in his profession. He completed the evening with 16 rebounds, seven assists and 6 factors. DiVincenzo contributed 18 factors on 7 of 10 capturing to go along with his eight assists and 6 rebounds.
In the meantime, Jordan Poole struggled after coming in clutch within the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s win towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. All eight of Poole’s factors got here from the free throw line as he missed his 10 field-goal makes an attempt.
“He had a tricky evening,” Kerr stated. “The sport bought away from just a little bit, he let the officiating hassle him just a little bit. He bought to have the ability to play by way of that, he is aware of [that.]”
The Warriors have gained seven of their final 9 video games. That leaves Thompson optimistic within the trajectory the Warriors are headed with the hopes Andrew Wiggins will return quickly and provides the staff one other jolt.
“It at all times feels nice to win, I feel it’ll click on much more when Andrew is within the lineup as a result of he’s such an necessary participant to what we do,” Thompson stated. “We nonetheless have a degree to succeed in, so I feel we should always simply maintain staying humble and dealing laborious and we’ll get there I do know we'll.”