It wasn’t football, but Game 4 between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings was a game of inches. It was De’Aaron Fox blazing past a defender, stopping on a dime, and letting him glide by as he lofted a floater into the net. It was Stephen Curry lofting impossible threes that seemed destined to land within the distant orange circle standing 10 feet high.
And it was Harrison Barnes’ three clanking off of inches of back-rim real estate.
Harrison Barnes missed the game-winner 😳 pic.twitter.com/49CPp1RV4C
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 23, 2023
The Warriors squeaked out a 126-125 thriller that was closer to the back-and-forth in Games 1 and 2 than the Game 3 blowout. Dive deep into Game 4 and the series overall as this entertaining 2-2 matchup appears likely to go seven.
Warriors-Kings Game 4: Stephen Curry Helps Golden State Tie the Series
Warriors-Kings: Game 4 Recap
The intrigue began before the game as Draymond Green did not start after being suspended for Game 3. (He would start the second half in place of Jordan Poole.) The contest was fueled by the same pure basketball adrenaline as the first two games from tipoff. Golden State had their usual sloppy turnovers early, which fueled the Kings’ transition attack. They settled down, and Curry had the crowd roaring with an impossible shot over the tough defense of Davion Mitchell.
Oh my STEPH 😱 pic.twitter.com/f5Z4XCv4FY
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 23, 2023
The Kings stayed composed thanks to Fox’s brilliance and an explosion from the previously dormant Keegan Murray. They finished the first quarter on a 7-0 run to seize a 32-31 lead.
Dueling runs defined the second quarter. The Kings paraded to a 14-3 run after an Andrew Wiggins layup to start the quarter. The Warriors responded with a 9-0 game-tying run. Fox was incandescent, scoring 21 to lead the Kings to a 69-65 halftime lead despite Klay Thompson’s 10 second-quarter points. Murray scored 15 in the half during his star turn.
Keegan Murray in the first half ⤵️
👑 15 PTS
👑 6/8 FG
👑 3/4 3PT pic.twitter.com/1qBDkaIEa5— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 23, 2023
The third quarter started with a splash, as Curry and Thompson both hit multiple jumpers in the opening minutes. Wiggins found his rhythm as Sacramento shifted their attention toward the guards, and Green threw down a thunderous dunk. The Kings stayed in contact by getting to the free-throw line as they struggled to make shots against a tenacious defense. Thompson capped the quarter with a corner three to give the Warriors a 102-92 lead.
An Exhilarating Finish to Game 4
On theme, Sacramento responded with a 7-0 run to open the fourth. Malik Monk bombed threes and slithered to the rim as Fox remained unstoppable. Golden State seemed to seize control as the quarter went on, with Curry remaining an unsolvable problem for Sacramento.
The Warriors went up 118-115 with 4:35 left after a pair of Thompson free throws and immediately put the Kings in the bonus on the ensuing defensive possession. Sacramento responded to a Curry three with free throws from Fox. Thompson drilled a three before Monk intercepted a bad pass from Poole and assisted Mitchell’s transition layup. Steve Kerr unsuccessfully challenged a moving screen called on Kevon Looney during the next possession, and Sacramento seemed poised to take control.
Barnes and Sabonis had multiple chances to cut the lead to one, but the Warriors’ defense held strong. Green forcefully blocked Sabonis, then set up a difficult floater converted by Wiggins. Golden State got a stop, but Curry performed an ill-timed tribute to Chris Webber by calling a timeout after the team had run out. Monk made the technical free throw; then Fox showed why he was named the Clutch Player of the Year.
FOX CLUTCH 3 pic.twitter.com/osixJGYjjT
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) April 23, 2023
Curry missed a floater, and the Kings called a timeout down just a point with a chance to win. Then, Barnes happened.
Warriors-Kings: Series at a Glance and Game 5 Preview
Some facts about this 2-2 series:
-The Warriors are outscoring the Kings 469-462 overall through four games.
-Fox’s usage rate is the highest among those averaging at least 10 minutes in the playoffs. He’s finishing 32.4% of Sacramento’s possessions with a shot, free throws, or a turnover, up from 28.8% during the regular season.
–Kevin Huerter is 3-21 from three this series after missing his only attempt in Game 4. He played just 21 minutes and shot 1-4 overall.
-Curry is averaging 31.5 points on 48.8% (43/88) shooting from the field, 40% (20/50) from three, and 95.2% (20/21) on free throws.
Sacramento and Golden State can both feel proud to be 2-2 in this series for various reasons. The Warriors have Wiggins back and playing well after missing the last two months of the regular season. Curry is in MVP form, and they were able to win a game without Green.
The Warriors will need an aggressive Curry to stop the beam and win a road game in raucous Sacramento. He needs to make Fox work on defense and be aggressive to score early, whether in isolation or running off screens. Curry’s early passivity plays into Sacramento’s hands with their best Curry defender (Mitchell) coming off the bench.
Barnes, Sabonis, and Huerter are the only rotation players with significant postseason experience for Sacramento. They’ve defended the battle-tested Warrior offense much better than you’d expect, given their 25th-ranked defense. Fox has remained unguardable in the playoffs against a title-winning team.
Next game, Mike Brown should start Mitchell. Huerter has struggled, and while Sacramento needs him to produce, Brown doesn’t have the luxury of patience. Game 5 is a must-win for the Kings, and Brown should treat it as such.
The Last Word
Draymond Green on the Harrison Barnes look for the win: “We know Fox can make a shot. He won Clutch Player of the Year. What I’m not doing is giving him an isolation against anyone.” pic.twitter.com/0O2ZYLSyYw
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 23, 2023
