WARRIORS BOW BEFORE KINGS
Sacramento Kings prey on undermanned Golden State Warriors for the Kings to win for the second time this season on the Warriors’ turf
Injured Warriors play short, don’t have enough against Kings
With April approaching, the beat-up, undermanned Golden State Warriors are prioritizing health over everything else — even the No. 1 seed in the West.
“It’s a harrowing experience,” coach Steve Kerr joked before the game. “I’m just trying to process it all.”
Yet the faces down are glaring: NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, twotime MVP Stephen Curry and his Splash Brother, Klay Thompson.
Buddy Hield made three free throws over the final 27.5 seconds, Willie Cauley-Stein had a late dunk and the Sacramento Kings won for the second time this season on Golden State’s home floor, beating a Warriors team missing its top three scorers 98-93 on Friday night.
Hield finished with 22 points off the bench. He also had seven assists and seven rebounds.
Quinn Cook scored a career-high 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting for Golden State (52-17), making his initial seven shots and also hitting a career-best five 3-pointers after the team announced Durant was out with a broken rib.
Green returned from a onegame injury absence to produce 14 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocked shots.
“That’s the most important thing, though, is to get healthy,” Green said. “Obviously I think where we are right now we’re in the position where I think all three guys could play if they had to but it’s just not that important for them to play. I think it’s more important for them to be healthy. That’s kind of been the theme the whole year, just to keep guys fresh and healthy and try to get a rhythm.
“I don’t think it’s all bad for us with them guys being down. We’ll be fine and get them healthy and then we can go into the playoffs healthy. That’s the goal.”
Hield made one free throw with 27.5 seconds left and then two more with 13.2 seconds remaining as the Kings (23-47) withstood a frantic final minute after the teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 75. Sacramento also won at Oracle Arena on Nov. 27.
“It’s just a side note as we grow and build,” Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox said. “Every games matters for us just trying to get better.”