Stephen Curry delivered when it mattered most, scoring 17 points including a crucial late three-pointer and creating the winning play as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings 110-105 Tuesday night at home in San Francisco.
De’Anthony Melton topped all scorers with 21 points while Brandin Podziemski added 20 for Golden State (37-42), which broke a four-game skid while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the opening night of a demanding four-games-in-six-days stretch.
Sacramento (21-59) received a team-leading 18 points from bench player Killian Hayes in a well-distributed scoring effort, but fell for the second consecutive game.
The Kings mounted a dramatic comeback with a 13-0 scoring surge spanning the third and fourth periods, wiping out what had been a 16-point Golden State advantage and creating a nail-biting conclusion.
Doug McDermott’s three-pointer snapped a 101-101 deadlock and put Sacramento ahead with 2:53 remaining, but Curry answered right back with his fourth long-range shot of the evening.
When Curry’s next three-point attempt from the right corner rimmed out with 1:58 left, he grabbed his own rebound and made the decisive play. Instead of taking a mid-range shot, he found Podziemski open beyond the arc, and the second-year guard knocked down his fourth three-pointer to put the Warriors ahead for good.
Free throws from Seth Curry and Melton sealed the victory for Golden State.
In the first of two matchups this week between the Northern California neighbors, the Warriors closed the opening half with a 28-16 surge to take a 66-53 lead into the locker room.
While Melton sparked the run with a pair of three-pointers, Curry provided the fireworks by converting two four-point plays after being fouled on long-distance shots of 26 and 24 feet.
Playing just his second game following a 27-game absence due to a sore right knee, the Golden State superstar contributed 14 points in the first half alone.
Charles Bassey recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, while Pat Spencer also scored 14 points and Gary Payton II contributed 12. Draymond Green led all players with seven assists.
Sacramento had six players reach double figures, led by Maxime Raynaud’s 17 points, followed by McDermott (16), Precious Achiuwa (13), Nique Clifford (12) and Daeqwon Plowden (11). Dylan Cardwell grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while Devin Carter dished out five assists to pace the Kings.
