Steph-less Warriors Fall to Sacramento Kings
The Warriors led for nearly the entire first half despite missing their stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. On Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center, Curry joined the pregame huddle via FaceTime, Green acted as assistant coach in a navy tracksuit, and Butler was absent.
Despite missing key players, Golden State took a double-digit lead before halftime but eventually lost 121-116 to the Sacramento Kings, a team also playing without Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine.
“It was an amazing effort by our guys, and it should be a learning experience for our group,” said coach Steve Kerr after his depleted squad fell short.
Standout Performances Despite Defeat
- Rookie Will Richard scored a game-high 30 points in his first career start.
- Moses Moody had a career-best 28 points.
- Jonathan Kuminga contributed 24 points and led the team with nine rebounds.
However, their efforts couldn’t match Russell Westbrook’s triple-double of 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, supported by five other Kings players scoring in double digits.
Richard and Kuminga combined for nearly all of the Warriors’ first 23 points, helping Golden State build a 32-25 lead after the first quarter.
Game Summary
- Warriors led most of the first half without their top stars.
- Kings overcame the deficit to win 121-116.
- The game featured strong individual performances but highlighted depth issues for Golden State.
Author's summary: The Warriors showed resilience without their key players but fell short against the Kings, highlighting both promising young talent and the challenges of playing without their stars.