Steph-less Warriors Run Out of Steam in Loss to Sacramento Kings
The Warriors led for almost the entire first half despite missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. In the pregame huddle, Stephen Curry joined via FaceTime, while Draymond Green, wearing a navy blue sweatsuit and glasses, acted as an assistant coach. Jimmy Butler was not present inside the Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night.
Without their three top players—two of whom did not travel to Sacramento—the Warriors eventually lost steam against a Kings team also missing key players. Golden State built a double-digit lead before halftime but ultimately fell 121-116.
“It was an amazing effort by our guys, and it should be a learning experience for our group,” coach Steve Kerr said after his B-squad came up short against a Sacramento team missing Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine.
Standout Performances
- Rookie Will Richard scored a game-high 30 points.
- Moses Moody added a career-best 28 points.
- Jonathan Kuminga contributed 24 points and led with nine rebounds.
The Warriors’ young talent, including Richard and Kuminga who combined for all but two of the team’s first 23 points, helped Golden State jump to a 32-25 lead after the first quarter.
However, Russell Westbrook’s triple-double of 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, combined with five other Kings players scoring in double digits, proved too much to overcome.
Game Summary
- Golden State led most of the first half without their stars.
- Sacramento overcame the deficit despite missing star players.
- The Kings secured a 121-116 victory at home.
The game demonstrated the Warriors' resilience but also highlighted the challenge of competing without star power.
Author’s summary: Despite fierce effort from rookies, the Warriors fell short against the Kings without key players, revealing the difficulty of sustaining success without their stars.