In a thrilling turnaround, Malik Monk sank a fadeaway with 7 seconds remaining, propelling the Sacramento Kings to a 124-123 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. This win secures the Kings’ spot in the quarterfinals of the In-Season Tournament.
With a perfect 4-0 record, the Kings topped their group and are set to host New Orleans in the upcoming quarterfinals. Sacramento needed a win or a loss by 11 points or fewer, ultimately clinching the victory through a late-game surge fueled by critical turnovers from the Warriors.
Golden State took a five-point lead with just 59 seconds remaining after Andrew Wiggins’ tip-in. However, De’Aaron Fox’s free throw and a 3-pointer from Monk, following a turnover by Stephen Curry, swiftly narrowed the gap. A subsequent turnover by Draymond Green set the stage for Monk’s decisive fadeaway. With no timeouts left, Curry’s missed 3-pointer at the buzzer sealed Sacramento’s first victory in three encounters with Golden State this season.
Leading the charge, Fox scored 29 points, while Monk and Kevin Huerter contributed 21 points each. Curry and Wiggins both notched 29 points for the Warriors, who have experienced a slump with eight losses in their last 10 games.
Draymond Green returned from a five-game suspension, receiving boos during introductions and drawing a technical foul for vehemently disputing a carry violation. This technical fueled a 13-3 Sacramento run, turning a nine-point deficit into the Kings’ first lead since the first quarter.
Despite the return of Green, Golden State faced further setbacks, with Chris Paul leaving in the first quarter due to lower left leg soreness and Gary Payton II exiting in the third quarter with a right calf injury.
Even though Paul’s early departure seemed inconsequential, the Warriors, led by strong first halves from Klay Thompson and Wiggins, built a 24-point lead in the second quarter. Sacramento, however, rallied and cut the deficit to 72-55 by halftime, with Huerter making a layup just before the buzzer.