Stephen Curry scores 29 in Golden State Warriors’ preseason win over Sacramento Kings
Kings coach Luke Walton wasn’t concerned with individual performances in Thursday’s preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors, but he said his team has a lot of work to do before the regular season begins next week.
The Kings concluded preseason play with a 113-105 loss to the Warriors at Golden 1 Center. De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield combined for just 19 points on 6-of-30 shooting from the field and 3-of-16 shooting from 3-point range.
Harrison Barnes scored 17 points to lead the Kings (2-2), who shot 38.3% from the field and made just 7 of 30 (.233) from 3-point range. Hassan Whiteside had 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
Stephen Curry scored 29 points to lead the Warriors (2-1). Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 22 and Andrew Wiggins added 19.
“We’re right about where I thought we’d be,” Walton said. “We’re doing some things above where I thought we’d be and there are other parts that we’re further behind, but that’s the case I’m sure with a lot of teams right now with the abbreviated preseason.”
The Kings will visit the Denver Nuggets in their season opener on Wednesday. One focal point in the coming days will be the frontcourt duo of Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III. The two big men combined for 14 points, seven rebounds and five turnovers Thursday.
Holmes said he and Bagley need to “give each other space to work” as they learn to play together. Barnes said that familiarity will come with time, noting that Bagley missed the first two preseason games after contracting the coronavirus.
“We’re still working things out,” Barnes said. “With COVID and things like that, we haven’t had a chance to have as much practice time with that lineup as possible, but to be able to get two games with that lineup and get some reps, I thought we made some strides.”
The Warriors outscored the Kings 18-11 over the first five minutes of the contest. Nemanja Bjelica and Glenn Robinson III came off the bench to make 3-pointers as the Kings came back to take the lead late in the opening period.
Sacramento staged a 9-1 run to take a 38-36 lead on a layup by Kyle Guy. The Kings stretched the lead to five on a three-point play by Barnes. The Warriors responded with a 13-0 run to go ahead 55-48, but the Kings only trailed by three at the halftime break.
A flurry of baskets by Curry helped the Warriors open up a double-digit lead early in the third quarter. They went up by 15 on a layup by Marquese Chriss and led by as many as 19 following a 3-pointer by Curry.
The Kings got within six early in the fourth quarter, but they couldn’t get any closer.
After playing four preseason games in seven nights, the Kings will take Friday off before returning to the practice gym Saturday and Sunday.
“We’ve got a lot of things we have to continue to work on and get much, much better at, but overall from the start of training camp to now I’m very pleased with the guys and the work they’re doing,” Walton said.
Bagley starts again
Bagley started at power forward again after making his preseason debut in Tuesday’s win over the Warriors. Walton said Bagley would see increased playing time after being limited to 15 minutes on Tuesday.
The Kings are trying to make up for lost time with Bagley, who appeared in only 13 games due to injuries last season and missed the start of training camp after testing positive for COVID-19. After Tuesday’s game, Walton said he was pleased with Bagley’s effort but wanted to see better fluidity when he is on the floor with the starters, noting the offense got stagnant at times.
Rhythm and spacing were off again Thursday — particularly early in the third quarter as the Warriors opened up a 15-point lead — but the Kings seem to be giving Bagley every opportunity to claim the starting job. Walton said Bagley will get all the reps with the first unit in practice over the next few days before a final decision is made on the starting lineup for Wednesday’s season opener against the Denver Nuggets.
Successful coach’s challenge
Walton called for a coach’s challenge after Whiteside was whistled for his fourth foul on a basket by Wiggins with 6:04 to play in the third quarter. After reviewing the play, officials overturned the call, took the points off the scoreboard and assessed an offensive foul against Wiggins, who picked up his fourth foul instead of Whiteside.
Walton was successful on 16 of 28 (.571) coach’s challenges in 2019-20.
NBA sets trade deadline
The NBA Board of Governors voted Thursday to keep the coach’s challenge, increase active roster limits and establish a date for the trade deadline Thursday.
The league announced the Board of Governors approved the coach’s challenge on a full-time basis starting with the 2020-21 season. The coach’s challenge was introduced on a trial basis in 2019-20. Thursday’s vote came after the NBA’s Competition Committee recommended keeping the coach’s challenge.
The Board of Governors also approved an increase in the number of active players on each roster from 13 to 15 for the 2020-21 season and designated March 25 as the trade deadline. The trade deadline will arrive three weeks after the All-Star break with about seven weeks remaining in the regular season.
Injury report
Warriors: OUT — James Wiseman (rest); Draymond Green (rest); Alen Smailagic (knee); Klay Thompson (Achilles).
Kings: OUT — Cory Joseph (back); Jabari Parker (back); DaQuan Jeffries (back).
Kings upcoming schedule
Preseason
Trail Blazers 127, Kings 102
Kings 121, Trail Blazers 105
Kings 114, Warriors 113
Warriors 113, Kings 105
Regular season
Dec. 23 at Denver Nuggets, 6 p.m.
Dec. 26 vs. Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m.
Dec. 27 vs. Phoenix Suns, 6 p.m.
Dec. 29 vs. Denver Nuggets, 7 p.m.
Dec. 31 at Houston Rockets, 4 p.m.
This story was originally published December 17, 2020 at 9:42 PM.
