Warriors Produce Spirited 3rd-Quarter Romp, Topple Sacramento Kings 109-86
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Oakland, Calif. – The Sacramento Kings are normally a resilient team when they fall behind in games. But right before the All-Star break, the team finally ran out of gas, and it had to happen on the end of a back-to-back game against the Golden State Warriors.
Klay Thompson scored 17 of his 35 points in the third quarter to lead the Warriors 109-86 over the Sacramento Kings. It was Golden State’s second game in as many nights, too. But what is clear to the rest of the league is that the Warriors seldom do not lose twice in a row.
The Kings were in the hole by 10 points in the first half, but came back to lead 50-47 at halftime on a 3-point shot by Darren Collison at the buzzer. That was the last decent shot by the Kings.
The Warriors scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter, before the Kings finally made a basket on a putback by Matt Barnes with 2:20 remaining. The Warriors ability to score in the paint as well as finish fast breaks in transition was too much for the Kings to bare.
Sacramento Kings player Ben McLemore warms up before playing the Golden State Warriors in Oakland. Publicity Agents photo art by T. Ray Harvey. Feb. 15, 2017. Oakland, Calif.
The Warriors outscored the Kings 42-16 in the third quarter. Klay Thompson had 17 points, three assists, two steals, and made 3-of-4 treys for the Warriors in the third quarter. The Kings knew that surge from the Warriors was looming. They just didn’t know when it was going to emerge.
“We couldn’t seem to find a guy in transition,” Collison said. “It’s tough. But give them credit. They started to play aggressive in the third quarter and opened the game.”
Willie Cauley-Stein had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists for the Kings Kings (24-33 overall, 12-18 road). Collison added 14 points and three assists and DeMarcus Cousins, on his way to New Orleans for the All-Star weekend, had 13 points, six assists, and four rebounds in a little over 22 minutes.
Durant had 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for the Warriors (47-9 overall, 24-3 Oracle). Curry had 13 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Draymond Green was ejected in the second quarter after receiving double-technical fouls.
The Warriors outscored the Kings 42-16 in the third quarter. Klay Thompson had 17 points, three assists, two steals, and made 3-of-4 treys for the Warriors in the third quarter. Golden State lost 132-110 on the road to Denver on Feb. 14.
“It was a terrible first half for us all the way around,” said Curry, also an All Star selection with teammates Thompson, Green and Durant. “Obviously, it didn’t help that we were coming out without Draymond. But we didn’t want to go into the break with anything other than a win.”
By T. Ray Harvey | PA Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist
Twitter: Tony Ray Harvey @PublicityAgents
PA’s PUBLIC INFORMATION:
The Golden State Warriors have 142 consecutive regular-season games without suffering back-to-back losses. The Ws have won each of their last 19 regular-season games following a loss.
San Francisco 49ers new General Manager John Lynch received a lukewarm response from Golden State Warriors fans when he and his staff were announced at the game.
Skal Labissiere and Georgios Papagiannis played in the fourth quarter after the Kings threw in the towel. Papagiannis had four points in seven minutes and Labissiere failed to score in nine minutes.
T. Ray (Antonio) Harvey is a Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist for Publicity Agents. Harvey is also the author of The HOMICIDAL HANDYMAN OF OAK PARK: MORRIS SOLOMON JR.
