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Warriors-Kings Game 7: Stephen Curry’s Splashes Dash the Kings’ Playoff Hopes

Stephen Curry continues to stake his claim as the best player in the league. The reigning Finals MVP led the Golden State Warriors to a 120-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors will go on to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs.

Curry was brilliant all game but saved his best for the fourth quarter, where he led a six-minute run that expanded Golden State’s lead from 10 to 22 and effectively ended the game.

How do the Warriors match up against the Lakers? And what comes next for the Kings?

Warriors-Kings Game 7: Stephen Curry’s Splashes Dash the Kings’ Playoff Hopes

Stephen Curry Starts Strong During a Back-and-Forth First Half

The song of Game 7 started with familiar notes. There was the deafening Sacramento crowd; rest for star guards De’Aaron Fox and Curry midway through the first quarter; and the most entertaining basketball of any series so far in the playoffs. 

There were surprises in the first quarter as well. Kevin Huerter made his first three after largely struggling in this series before the second half of Game 6. Moses Moody was the first sub off the bench for Golden State, along with Jordan Poole. Great offense beat good defense in the first quarter as Sacramento carried a slim 31-30 lead into the second quarter. Both teams shot 5-13 from three in the first, suggesting an offensive battle would ensue.

Luckily for us, the shootout continued (for two more quarters, anyway). The Warriors were forceful attacking the paint in the second quarter when Trey Lyles came in for Domantas Sabonis, a leftover adjustment from Game 6.  The Kings balanced aggression and unselfishness. They pierced the Golden State defense to earn eight free-throw attempts (making five) after entering the bonus with 6:30 left in the second. They also displayed gorgeous ball movement.

Terence Davis paired solid defense on Curry with three second quarter threes, while Andrew Wiggins earned six physical points in the paint and the foul line. Both teams maintained a breakneck pace throughout the first half. The Kings overcame Curry’s 20 first-half points to march into halftime up 58-56.

Golden State Gains Separation in the Third

The Warriors built momentum with countless offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Kevon Looney channelled prime Moses Malone with seven (!) offensive rebounds alone in the third quarter. Curry continued his brillant play by relentlessly attacking the rim.

Fox was already off to a slow start given his lofty standards, and his fourth foul with 7:15 left in the quarter put the Warriors in the bonus. Despite the dominating start, Golden State went 7-16 on free throws in the third and missed a number of layups to keep the game close. 

Sacramento would (temporarily) make the Warriors regret those missed opportunities. The Warriors held a 78-66 lead with 3:27 in the quarter, but the Kings stabilized with Fox’s return to the game. Malik Monk had the crowd roaring with a late and-1 layup, and Klay Thompson answered with an incredible four-point play. Golden State ended the period up 91-81.

Stephen Curry Explodes

There are times when attempting to wax poetic with flowery prose can actually distract from an incredible performances. Sometimes, a player so thoroughly dominates that the impact can be felt through the play-by-play. To that end, here are the first nine scoring plays of the fourth quarter, with links to video via NBA.com:

10:47: Curry 14′ Pullup Jump Shot

9:10: Curry 3′ Driving Layup

8:23: Fox 10′ Turnaround Fadeaway

8:07: Curry 2′ Driving Reverse Layup

7:46: Curry 27′ 3PT Step Back Jump Shot

7:18: Wiggins 17′ Pullup Jump Shot

6:40: Curry 19′ Floating Jump Shot

6:23: Sabonis 2′ Layup

5:56: Curry 3PT Jump Shot 

Six field goals, including two threes, in just over six minutes. This type of run has defined Curry’s greatness throughout his career. The suddenness and unpredictability with which he imposes his will on the game is unmatched in NBA history. In just over six minutes of game time, a back-and-forth 91-81 contest turned into a 107-85 blowout. Sacramento was helpless to respond, and the Warriors will face the Lakers in the second round.

Curry’s final line: 50 points (an NBA record in a Game 7) on 20-38 shooting, 7-18 from three, and 3-5 from the free throw line with eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and just one turnover.

Looney was the second-best player in this game. What he did in Game 7 is what he did all series: slowed Sabonis with physical defense, found open shooters in Golden State’s motion offense, and dominated on the offensive glass. Looney had 10 offensive rebounds and 21 total; Sabonis finished with five defensive rebounds.

Warriors-Lakers Series Preview

Every fan of NBA basketball should be excited for LeBron James vs. the Warriors, Western Conference edition. The Lakers will be ready after beating Golden State three times in four tries this regular season. Of course, Curry missed two of the Warriors’ losses while Wiggins missed the other. Golden State’s lone win was in the first game of the season, well before the Lakers’ roster-changing trade deadline moves.

The first question for any Warriors opponent is, “How will they guard Stephen Curry?” Expect Jarred Vanderbilt to take the initial assignment, and Anthony Davis to be up near the level of the screen without trapping or doubling. Darvin Ham is a true Mike Budenholzer acolyte who will want his perimeter players to chase the Warriors’ shooters around screens with the bigs protecting the paint. 

Davis had up-and-down performances against the Warriors this season. He burned them for 39 points on March 5th, but scored just 13 points on 5-19 shooting on Feb. 11th. Green and Looney will take turns guarding him, while Wiggins will most likely be glued to James. 

This series could be decided by the free throw line, where these teams are polar opposites. The Warriors shot the fewest free throw attempts per 100 possessions in the regular season (19.7), while the Lakers shot the most (26). The Lakers allowed the fewest number of free throws per opponent field goal attempts, while the Warriors finished 20th in the same stat. A Lakers’ free throw parade could be difficult to overcome even with Golden State’s three-point shooting.

What’s Next for the Sacramento Kings

The Kings proved a bright future is in store at Golden 1 Center. Their preseason win/loss betting odds were set at 34.5 wins; they blew past that en route to 48 wins and a grueling seven-game series loss to the defending champions. 

Mike Brown showed he was the correct hire at head coach. His system gave the Kings the top-rated offense in the league. This wasn’t a great defense (25th in the league), but they demonstrated they were well-coached in the regular season by allowing relatively few offensive rebounds and free-throw attempts.

Most importantly, this young team can build on their chemistry next season and beyond. Fox (25 years old) and Huerter (24) are signed through the 2025-26 season, while Sacramento has team options to keep Murray (22) on roster through the same season. Sabonis (26) and Monk (25) are signed through next season, and Davion Mitchell’s contract is under team control through the 2024-25 season. 

The bigger questions are Harrison Barnes (30) and Lyles (27), both unrestricted free agents this offseason. Barnes struggled this series, most notably with the missed shot that cost the Kings Game 4, but Brown deemed Barnes “irreplacable” earlier in the series. GM Monte McNair will ultimately make the decision on Barnes’ contract, but it’s difficult to replace powerful 6’8” wings who can defend and shoot between 37%-39% from three. Expect him and Lyles back next season. Lyles had unimpressive regular reason stats, but was essential in the playoffs.

Don’t expect drastic roster changes this offseason. Sacramento will hope to get better through continued improvement from Murray, or perhaps a breakout from developmental wing Kessler Edwards. No matter what happens, Brown will be prepared to lead a Sacramento squad with deep playoff aspirations for the first time in roughly 20 years.

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