Steph-less Warriors Run Out of Steam in Loss to Sacramento Kings
The Warriors led for most of the first half despite missing key players Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.
Game Overview
Stephen Curry joined the pregame huddle via FaceTime, Draymond Green served as an assistant coach dressed in a navy blue sweatsuit, and Jimmy Butler was absent from the Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night. With their three stars unavailable, two of whom did not travel to Sacramento, the Warriors eventually succumbed to a Sacramento Kings team also missing important players.
Golden State established a double-digit lead before halftime but ultimately lost the game 121-116.
“It was an amazing effort by our guys, and it should be a learning experience for our group,” said coach Steve Kerr after his B-squad fell short against a Kings team missing Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine.
Key Performances
- Rookie Will Richard scored a game-high 30 points.
- Moses Moody contributed a career-best 28 points.
- Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points and led the team with 9 rebounds.
- Russell Westbrook led the Kings with a triple-double: 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists.
- Five other Kings players also scored in double figures.
Richard, a second-round draft pick making his first career start, and Kuminga combined to score all but two of the Warriors’ first 23 points, helping Golden State jump to a 32-25 lead after the first quarter.
Summary
Despite a strong start and impressive efforts from young players, the Warriors’ depleted lineup was unable to hold off a resilient Kings team, leading to a narrow defeat.
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