What we learned as Curry, big third quarter fuel Warriors’ win vs. Kings originally appeared on
NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO – Players, coaches, and fans of the Sacramento Kings must be tired of Steph Curry. Just a little bit, at least.
Since his 50-point Game 7 performance to eliminate the Kings from the NBA playoffs, Curry has made the baskets in Sacramento his second home. In the latest game, Curry scored 41 points, leading the Warriors to a 122-114 victory at the Golden 1 Center.
Curry has now scored a total of 91 points in his last two non-preseason games in the Kings’ home building.
Chris Paul also had an impressive contribution with 10 points and 12 assists in the Warriors’ win. His 12 assists are tied for the most ever by a Warriors player in their first road game with the team. Furthermore, he only had two turnovers in his first two games.
De’Aaron Fox, the star point guard for the Kings, scored a team-high 39 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter.
Here are three key takeaways from the Warriors’ first win of the 2023-24 season.
Steph Show
A significant positive aspect of the season’s start was the Warriors’ plus-5 margin against the Phoenix Suns when Curry was off the court. However, things were different in Sacramento during Curry’s absence. He continued to torment the Kings’ fans with 18 first-half points in just 17 minutes of play. The Warriors were plus-13 with him on the court in the first two quarters.
Conversely, they were minus-10 when Curry was benched in the first half, and the Kings even went on a 14-0 run during that time. It’s no surprise that the Warriors are a completely different team when Curry is on the court.
The team showed improvements in the second half when Curry was resting. In the third quarter alone, Curry scored 16 points in just eight minutes, and the Warriors outscored the Kings 39-27.
Whenever the Warriors needed a crucial basket or a spark, they knew exactly who to turn to. Curry attempted 19 shots and only missed five of them. He finished with 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting, including 7 of 10 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
In the opening moments of the game, Andrew Wiggins proved to be the player the Warriors needed. He quickly made layups to contribute four points to the team’s tally. The Warriors’ first 10 points all came from the paint.
Wiggins had an active and aggressive presence, making his impact felt in various ways. Despite the challenging task of guarding Fox, he didn’t need a massive scoring night. Wiggins finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks on 5-of-13 shooting.
Kevon Looney, the Warriors’ center, had a dominant performance against the Kings, just like he did in the playoffs. In the seven-game series, Looney had a cumulative plus-36, while his counterpart, Domantas Sabonis, had a minus-49. In the latest game, Looney recorded a plus-4 in 28 minutes, whereas Sabonis had a minus-9 in 36 minutes. Looney also showcased his skills by crossing up Sabonis and delivering a powerful dunk.
Known for his attention to detail, Looney grabbed 12 rebounds, scored eight points, dished out six assists, and made three steals.
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