Without their three biggest stars, two of whom didn’t make the short drive up I-80, the Warriors ran out of steam against a Sacramento Kings team that was also playing at less than full strength. Golden State raced to a double-digit lead before halftime, only to see it slip away in a 121-116 loss.
Will Richard and Moses Moody each scored 28 points, and Jonathan Kuminga added 24, but that was no match for the triple-double of Russell Westbrook (23 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists) and five other Kings who finished in double figures.
Richard, a second-round draft pick making his first career start, teamed with Kuminga to score all but two of the Warriors’ first 23 points as Golden State took a 32-25 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both players were deep into double figures at halftime, helping Golden State take a 62-57 lead at intermission.
Moody picked up the deficit after halftime and scored 18 of his points in the second half, including a late 3-pointer followed by a 3-point play that brought Golden State within 2, 100-98. The Warriors had possession at 117-114 with less than a minute to go when Kuminga beat his defender low. But he couldn’t finish the play, Sacramento secured the rebound and hit a pair of free throws to get the win.
Drew Eubanks gave the Kings a 5-4 lead two minutes into the first quarter, and Sacramento didn’t take the lead again until Kuminga sent Nique Clifford to the foul line early in the third quarter, allowing the Kings to briefly take the lead 67-66. Golden State’s lead was as much as 13 points in the first half.
It didn’t take long for the Kings to turn the score around after halftime, as the Warriors let them get to the line 18 times in the third quarter alone while shooting 10-for-17 from the field. Meanwhile, Golden State’s offense went cold, connecting on one shot from the field in the final 3:57, and got sloppy, coughing up the ball eight times in the period to fall behind 92-85.Three of the third-quarter fouls were called on Kuminga, and he picked up his fifth personal with 9:27 to play, forcing one of the Warriors’ few reliable scoring opportunities to the bench as they trailed 98–90. Golden State shot 53.5% from the field (8-18 from 3) in the first half, but was limited to 36.3% (9-25 from 3) after halftime.
The game marked the first time this season that the Warriors were without Curry (illness), Butler (lower back) or Green (ribs). In their place, they started with the least experienced lineup the organization has rolled out since April 26, 2012, two years before Kerr joined the Warriors.
That lineup, featuring rookie Klay Thompson, marked the last time all five players in the Warriors’ starting five had less than four years of NBA experience.
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