Warriors thump Kings to cut playoff series 2-1
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry celebrates his 3-pointer late in 2nd quarter against Sacramento Kings during NBA Western Conference 1st Round Playoff game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, April 20, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.04.20 – Stephen Curry scored 36 points and Golden State got right back in its first-round playoff series by thumping the Sacramento Kings 114-97 on Thursday night to pull to 2-1.
Leading up to Game 3, Steve Kerr challenged the Warriors to take better shots and be more careful with the ball to limit turnovers, and to rebound — rebound hard and with heart — then the reigning champions went out and dominated missing two of their top defenders, including suspended star Draymond Green.
Kevon Looney matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, Curry shot 12 for 25 with six 3s while Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who never trailed.
“We’re a team with a lot of pride, we know how to respond when our back’s against the wall, we always usually show up,” Looney said. “I think Draymond knew that. Without him playing he knew how we were going to respond. He knew he could count on us to hold down the fort while he’s out. We’re excited to get him back next game.”
The fiery forward was suspended without pay for stepping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis in the fourth quarter of Monday’s Game 2 at Golden 1 Center. The Warriors also were without key defensive stopper Gary Payton II after the guard became ill Wednesday.
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBA Playoffs highlights)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry drives the ball by Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis in 2nd quarter during NBA Western Conference 1st Round Playoff game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, April 20, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBA Playoffs highlights)
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBA Playoffs highlights)
Sabonis, who grabbed Green’s foot during the play in question, was booed at every chance. The big man underwent tests that revealed a bruised sternum but was able to practice Wednesday and cleared to play. He had 14 rebounds by halftime and 16 total to go with 15 points. But Golden State’s smothering interior defense led to some spectacular plays on offense — Looney handling the bulk of the load defending Sabonis.
“This is Loon, this is who he is, we’ve seen it in the playoffs for years now,” Kerr said.
“Tonight was about taking care of the glass and taking care of the ball, and our half-court defense was really good,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Our guys were playing with a lot of energy, and eventually that’s going to lead to offense, just getting out in transition. And I thought we finally broke through offensively in the second half. But the game went the way it did because we took care of the ball.”
De’Aaron Fox was 5 for 14 in the first half for 12 points but finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Kings. Fox scored 62 in the first two games.
Jordan Poole — playing on a tender left ankle — started in Green’s place and had 16 points and five rebounds, while the Warriors also counted on contributions from Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Donte DiVincenzo.
Without Green, one of the biggest concerns for the Warriors was keeping Looney out of foul trouble, as his low-post battle with Sabonis continued. The center picked up his first foul just 44 seconds in, but it was his only one of the game.
Looney, who led the NBA in offensive rebounds and played in his 218th straight game, corralled a key board from the offensive glass that led to Curry’s 3 to beat the halftime buzzer and make it a double-digit Warriors lead at 53-41.
“Sometimes as a rebounder you can get in a zone just how Steph and them 3-point shooters get in a zone,” Looney said.
Harrison Barnes added 17 points against his old team for Sacramento, whose fans were told to leave those noisy cowbells at home because they’re banned at Chase Center. Warriors fans were raucous in their own right sporting yellow “Gold Blooded” t-shirts and pounding Thunderstix.
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBC Sports post game)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) grabs a defensive rebound with help from Klay Thompson (11) during the first quarter in Game Three of the NBA Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco, California Thursday, April 20, 2023.Stephen Lam/The Chronicle
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBC Sports post game)
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (NBC Sports post game)
“You have to understand that these guys aren’t going to lay down,” Barnes said. “They have a lot of pride. They’ve won a championship. ”
NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown, who received a shipment of new Vans sneakers, warned of what might happen if his Kings let down even in the slightest: “If we’re overconfident we’re going to get our behinds handed to us because these guys are champions.”
Curry and Co. showed it — at least for one game. He told TNT afterward: “They say Draymond’s got a history, so do we.”
Golden State committed just 11 turnovers, leading to only seven points for the Kings.
“This is what we’re supposed to do,” Warriors guard Curry said. “I mean, being down those two guys who bring so much to our defensive side and just our identity as a whole, we had to have guys step up. So we obviously understand the consequences if we lost tonight, and nobody wanted to feel that.”
“I like the momentum that we created tonight, we just got to take advantage of it,” Curry said, crediting his team for “coming with the right energy to kind of prove that we can create some life for ourselves. Pretty bluntly if we lost this game it’s pretty much over.”
E-40 IS BACK
Rapper E-40 returned courtside for Game 3 fashionably late and fashionable. He and Curry shared a celebratory embrace afterward.
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (Kruger Show post game)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry celebrates his 3-pointer late in 4th quarter against Sacramento Kings during NBA Western Conference 1st Round Playoff game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, April 20, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (Kruger Show post game)
2023.04.20 – Warriors vs. Kings GM3 (Kruger Show post game)
The hip-hop star whose real name is Earl Stevens alleged “racial bias” after being kicked out of Game 1 at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. He and the Kings put out a joint statement Wednesday explaining there was a ‘miscommunication’ and said it was an “unfortunate misunderstanding” between both parties.
TIP-INS
Kings: Sacramento shot 11 for 47 on 3s and was out-rebounded 59-53. … The Kings made it to the free-throw line just eight times in the initial two quarters and 23 for the game.
Warriors: Klay Thompson had 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting but hit two timely shots down the stretch. … Moody had 13 points with a three-point play and dunk over a 38-second stretch late in the third.
UP NEXT
Warriors will now try to even the best-of-seven series in Game 4 on Sunday back on their home court at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Related – See : Kings beat Warriors and take 2-0 series lead
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Read more at: Golden State Warriors Media Services / More AP NBA
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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