The Sacramento Kings took both games on their home court after defeating the Golden State Warriors, 114-106, in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Monday night.
The start was slow for the Kings in Game 2, as the Warriors outscored them 23-17 to start the game. However, Sacramento took the lead with a 41-point second quarter and entered the locker room with a 58-52 lead over Golden State.
Then in the third quarter, the Kings increased their lead to 14 at one point as they used the raucous Sacramento crowd to their advantage and never looked back.
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De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball against the Golden State Warriors during Game 2 of Round 1 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 17, 2023 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Golden State would end up tying it at 93 apiece when Gary Payton II made a 3-pointer, but the Kings responded when they didn’t.
De’Aaron Fox, the Kings’ star point guard, was one of the decisive men on the court down the stretch. After Golden State tied it, Fox hit two jumpers to regain the lead to four points, prompting Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to call a timeout.
He also buried a clutch 3-pointer to make it 107-101 with just over two minutes to play after the Warriors were able to get within one as well.
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Fox finished the game with 24 points, nine assists and five rebounds, as well as a team-leading four steals.
Domantas Sabonis was also a beast from below for the Kings, racking up 24 points and nine rebounds in 40 minutes of work.
Things also got very interesting in the fourth quarter when Draymond Green received a flagrant foul II, which is an automatic ejection, after he stomped on Sabonis’s stomach when he was on the court.
Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after dunking the ball over Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half during the second game of the Western Conference first round playoffs at the Golden 1 Center on 17 April 2023 in Sacramento, USA. California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sabonis grabbed Green’s leg while he was on the ground, prompting the latter’s reaction. Although Green was ejected, Sabonis was fouled on Flagrante I.
Malik Monk also played a vital role off the Kings’ bench, hitting three first-half 3-pointers to help drive that 41-point second quarter. He scored 18 points on the night.
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Stephen Curry did everything he could to get his team back in the game, but his efforts weren’t enough. He shot 9 of 21 from the floor, including 3 of 13 from 3-point territory, for 28 points with three rebounds and six assists.
Andrew Wiggins had 22 points for the Warriors, while Klay Thompson also had 21 points.
If Game 1 wasn’t a test, this young Kings team proved in Game 2 that they have what it takes to take on the defending NBA champions in this series.
Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after missing a basket against the Golden State Warriors in the first half of game two of the Western Conference first round playoffs at the Golden 1 Center on April 17, 2023 in Sacramento , california. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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The Warriors hope their home court delivers the same results the Kings experienced as the series moves to Oracle Arena on Thursday with a 10 pm ET kick-off.
