Steph-less Warriors Lose to Sacramento Kings
The Warriors held the lead for nearly the entire first half despite missing key players Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. The game took place at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night.
Stephen Curry joined the pregame huddle via FaceTime, while Draymond Green acted as an assistant coach dressed in a navy blue sweatsuit. Jimmy Butler was absent from the venue. Without their three stars, including two who did not travel with the team, Golden State eventually lost steam against an undermanned Sacramento Kings squad.
Golden State surged to a double-digit lead before halftime but saw it slip away, falling 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 the team's loss.
The Kings were also missing key players Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine.
Notable Performances
- Rookie Will Richard led the Warriors with 30 points in his first career start.
- Moses Moody scored a career-high 28 points.
- Jonathan Kuminga contributed 24 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
- Russell Westbrook posted a triple-double for Sacramento with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists.
- Five other Kings players scored in double figures, overwhelming Golden State's efforts.
In the first quarter, Richard and Kuminga accounted for all but two of the team's first 23 points, helping Golden State build a 32-25 lead.
Summary: Despite standout performances from young Warriors, their depleted roster fell to a resilient Kings team led by Russell Westbrook’s commanding triple-double.
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