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Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings celebrates making a three-pointer in opposition to the Golden State Warriors in the course of the fourth quarter in Recreation One of many Western Convention First Spherical Playoffs on the Golden 1 Middle on April 15, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Loren Elliott/Getty Pictures/AFP
Two groups feeling fairly good about themselves will get little time to relaxation earlier than assembly once more when the Golden State Warriors and host Sacramento Kings proceed their Western Convention first-round playoff collection with Recreation 2 on Monday evening.
De’Aaron Fox exploded for 38 factors, Malik Monk surprised the Warriors with 32 off the bench and the Kings survived two key misses by the Warriors within the ultimate seconds to carry on for a 126-123 dwelling win in Recreation 1 on Saturday evening.
Thrilling a crowd that had waited 17 years for a playoff recreation, the Kings gained regardless of falling behind the defending champions by as many as 10 factors, getting outshot 47.8 p.c to 44.9 p.c and being outscored 48-36 on 3-pointers.
Sacramento prevailed thanks principally to the clutch taking pictures of Fox, who made all three of his 3-point makes an attempt and 5 of 9 photographs total throughout a 15-point fourth quarter, and Monk, whose 8-for-8 free-throw taking pictures accounted for a majority of his 13 factors within the ultimate interval.
They mixed for 28 of the workforce’s ultimate 35 factors.
Fox insisted the hometown followers have been the distinction in serving to him and his teammates overcome a 30-point evening from Golden State’s Stephen Curry.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a name in the course of the fourth quarter of the sport in opposition to the Sacramento Kings in Recreation One of many Western Convention First Spherical Playoffs on the Golden 1 Middle on April 15, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Loren Elliott/Getty Pictures/AFP
“Sacramento confirmed out tonight,” Fox mentioned. “However doing this for the followers, simply realizing the way in which that they help this workforce via thick and skinny — actually skinny. It’s only a testomony to the way in which they’re.”
Domantas Sabonis, who struggled offensively on a 5-for-17, 12-point evening, contributed a game-high 16 rebounds to the trigger, serving to Sacramento win the battle on the boards 50-41, together with 17-9 on the offensive glass.
It nearly wasn’t sufficient. Andrew Wiggins, getting back from a 25-game absence for private causes, had an opportunity to offer Golden State a two-point lead with 10.3 seconds remaining however misfired on a 3-pointer from the left nook.
After Monk pushed the Sacramento benefit to 3 with a pair of free throws, Curry had an opportunity to ship the sport to additional time, however noticed his good take a look at a straight-away 3-point try clang off the rim earlier than time expired.
In the long run, Warriors coach Steve Kerr had no complaints.
“All in all, to come back out right here, 10-point lead within the second half, did loads of good issues, had an opportunity to win on the finish — I feel we’re in a reasonably good place,” Kerr mentioned. “We simply couldn’t full the sport tonight, however it’s a seven-game collection, so we’ll bounce again.”
The loss was simply the fourth in a Recreation 1 within the Kerr period as Warriors coach, throughout which the workforce has gained 4 championships and made the NBA Finals on two different events.
Kerr’s Warriors rebounded to win Recreation 2 on all three earlier events after a gap loss, and went on to win the collection in two of the three, together with final yr’s Finals in opposition to the Boston Celtics.
Wiggins had 17 factors and 4 blocks in his return, however he shot simply 1-for-8 on 3-pointers.
Golden State has gained no less than one highway recreation in an NBA-record 27 consecutive collection.
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