NBA: Steph Curry, Warriors hang on late to tie series vs Kings
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after making a three-pointer against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Chase Center on April 23, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Loren Elliott/Getty Images/AFP
Stephen Curry had a team-high 32 points and the Golden State Warriors overcame a timeout violation in the final minute to hold off the Sacramento Kings 126-125 and draw even in their playoff series on Sunday afternoon in San Francisco.
The Western Conference first-round series is tied 2-2, with the home team having won all four games. Game will be Wednesday night in Sacramento.
The defending champs led 126-121 and seemed to have the game in hand when Curry had possession of the ball in the backcourt as the clock ran under 45 seconds remaining. But the Golden State star then requested a timeout — one the Warriors no longer had available — and was assessed a technical foul as Golden State lost possession of the ball.
Malik Monk made it a four-point game by hitting the free throw, and when De’Aaron Fox buried a 3-pointer with 28.1 seconds left, the Kings were suddenly within 126-125.
Sacramento then got the ball back when Curry missed a short jumper. But after a timeout, Harrison Barnes misfired on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, allowing the sixth-seeded Warriors to tie the series.
The third-seeded Kings trailed 102-92 after three quarters but jumped right back into the game by scoring the first seven points of the final period. Domantas Sabonis and Davion Mitchell scored 2-point baskets and Keegan Murray bombed in a 3-pointer with still 10:43 to play.
The Kings took a brief 107-106 lead and were still within 121-119 after Fox made two free throws with 3:54 left. But Sacramento scored only two more points until the timeout mishap, allowing the Warriors to build enough of a lead and then hold on.
Klay Thompson backed Curry with 26 points for the Warriors, who out-shot the Kings 50 percent to 47.1 percent. Jordan Poole added 22 points, Andrew Wiggins 18 and Draymond Green 12.
Returning from a one-game suspension, Green came off the bench and still managed to complete a double-double with 10 rebounds to go with seven assists.
Kevon Looney led all rebounders with 14 to complement eight points and six assists.
Fox was the game’s leading scorer with 38 points and also gathered a team-high nine rebounds for the Kings, who are making their first postseason appearance in 17 years.
Murray came up big with 23 points, while Monk had 16, Sabonis 14 and Mitchell 12. Sabonis also chipped in seven rebounds, a game-high eight assists and two blocks.
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