Steph Curry has 42 points, Warriors hold off Kings
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, drives against Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter and had 10 3-pointers, and the Golden State Warriors held on to beat the Sacramento Kings 127-123 on Saturday night.
Kevin Durant added 29 points, nine assists and five rebounds, and Klay Thompson scored 20 points to help the Warriors complete a three-game sweep of the season series. The three games were decided by a total of 10 points.
Coming off a 135-134 overtime loss to Houston on Thursday night when they let a 20-point lead slip away, the Warriors blew another big lead in the third quarter before storming past the Kings over the final 12 minutes.
Curry led the way with five of his 3s in the fourth, and had a pair of key three-point plays. Curry also closed out the quarter with a pair of free throws with 9.4 seconds left.
Buddy Hield scored 32 points on a career-high eight 3s for Sacramento. The Kings set a franchise record with 20 3s.
Justin Jackson added a career-high 28 points, and Willie Cauley-Stein had 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The teams exchanged 15-0 runs in the first half.
Golden State made four consecutive 3-pointers, including a four-point play by Quinn Cook, and Durant soared through the key for an emphatic two-handed dunk that put the Warriors up 37-22 in the first quarter. The Kings made their surge in the second behind 3s.
Sacramento trailed by 16, but pulled to 70-69 in the first half.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Durant needs two blocks to reach 900 for his career. … Golden State shot 8 of 11 beyond the arc in the first quarter. … Cook scored 10 points in 9 1/2 minutes off the bench.
Kings: Hield had five 3s in the third when Sacramento turned an 81-73 deficit into a 103-96 lead. … Marvin Bagley III is expected to resume basketball activities within the next 10-14 days. The second overall pick in the draft, Bagley has been out since Dec. 14 with a bruised bone in his left knee. … Iman Shumpert was held out with a sprained right index finger.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host New York on Tuesday night.
Kings: Host Orlando on Monday night.
