Warriors vs. Kings Player Grades: Will Richard Shines in Career Game
The Golden State Warriors suffered a 121-116 defeat to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Despite missing key players like Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler III, and playing the second half of a back-to-back game on the road, the Warriors started strong, building an early double-digit lead against a Kings team missing Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine. However, late-game mistakes caused them to lose their advantage.
The game had mixed moments, with positives and flaws visible throughout, making the loss feel like a missed chance rather than a complete failure. Player grades here reflect individual expectations, where a "B" grade represents an average performance.
Key Metrics
- True Shooting Percentage (TS) accounts for threes and free throws, an important scoring efficiency metric.
- The league-average TS entering Wednesday was 58.5%.
Will Richard's Breakout Performance
After missing two games (DNPs) earlier in his career, Will Richard earned his first career start in this matchup. He responded emphatically by scoring 30 points over 35 minutes, adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, and 3 fouls. Richard shot efficiently with 10-of-15 field goals, 5-of-8 three-pointers, and 5-of-7 free throws, achieving an impressive 83.0% true shooting percentage.
“After the first two DNPs of his career, Richard got his first career start … and proceeded to drop 30 points.”
Summary
Despite the team’s loss, Richard’s strong performance stands out as a career highlight, showing promise for his future role.
Author's summary: Will Richard’s first career start delivered a standout 30-point effort, highlighting his potential despite the Warriors’ narrow loss to the Kings.