SACRAMENTO– It's hard to find positives in losses, especially for contending teams like the Golden State Warriors, where every game matters in the loaded Western Conference race. But without their veteran stars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, all out due to nagging injuries and health management purposes, the Warriors' young core showed some spirit even in a hard-to-swallow 121-116 loss to the undermanned Sacramento Kings.
In the absence of their first two scoring options, Jonathan Kuminga collected 24 points and nine rebounds while Moses Moody lasered in six 3-pointers on his way to 28 points, three rebounds, three assists, and four blocks. But maybe the most spectacular of all was rookie Will Richard, one of the cogs of the Florida Gators' national title run this past March. In his first career start, the second-rounder worked his way to a career-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting, along with seven rebounds and three assists.
After the game, head coach Steve Kerr expressed pride in the young guys stepping up in the absence of the star core but also explained what went wrong.
“We were trying to do too much, we were trying to create to much when there's nothing there,” Kerr said. “And in the end, the story of the game was turnovers. 30 [points] to 11 off turnovers. Great lesson for our young guys. It's hard to win in this league. Every possession matters. Especially with the pace and the 3-point shooting today. You turn the ball over with a careless pass, it's an automatic layup or three at the other end, and the whole momentum shifts.”
Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga’s strong night and the overall lesson from the loss in general:
“I think the lesson for him and the team is just how important every possession is…. We’re trying too much, trying to create to much when there’s nothing there.” pic.twitter.com/tEkgAY6U0v
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) November 6, 2025
The Warriors committed 18 turnovers, seven of which came in the third quarter when Sacramento blitzed them for 32 points. Russell Westbrook also picked them apart for a 26-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple-double.
Al Horford and the remaining vets off-rhythm night
While the young guys shone in the narrow loss, Al Horford and the other veteran players struggled to find a rhythm. Despite collecting seven rebounds, Horford went scoreless, shooting 0-of-7 from beyond the arc. The stretch five couldn't find it from distance and it cost the Warriors some big opportunities. During the Kings' 11-1 run in the fourth quarter to decide the game, Horford missed three open and makeable 3-pointers.
Other things decided the Warriors' fate– turnovers, bad fouls, offensive rebounds, and free-throw discrepancy easily explain the loss. But Horford's looked out of rhythm since his strong first week, and given the Warriors' protocol to rest him on one end of every back-to-back, it's been hard for him to refind his footing. Kerr talked about Horford's recent struggles as of late and how he can help the vet get back on track.
“Just gotta keep playing him,” Kerr said. “I thought Al played a great basketball game tonight. The ball didn't go in, but took all the right shots. They all looked good. They're going to go in, he's Al Horford. We know what kind of shooter he is. His presence defensively, his rebounding, he's a hell of a player. It's just a slow start– to be expected, honestly, when you go to a new team. I'm not worried about Al.”
Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield also struggled in their limited minutes, -12 and -13 plus/minus, respectively. It'll be interesting to monitor how the lobsided performances from vets compared to the young guys affect Kerr's rotation.
The optimism from the young core's performance
The Warriors dropped their third game in their past four, so there's only so much positivity that can come from a loss like this one.
But the emergence of Will Richard and the offensive leap from Moses Moody are encouraging signs moving forward. Richard gives the Warriors another option in the backcourt with how intuitively he understands the system. And Moody's shooting, after missing the start of the season with a minor calf strain, might vault him back into the starting lineup as Kerr shuffles that group around depending on the matchup.
“I'm very happy for Moses,” Kuminga said after the game. “Moses is another guy who works hard. He gets his chances and he goes out there and shows [it]. Like I said, we didn't get the win, so a lot of things don't matter. But the one thing that matters is he went out there, and he was playing hard. He was defending, and he gave it all he had.”
As for Kuminga, it also helps to get him more experience as the best on-ball option on the floor. He wasn't perfect; he was the first to admit his turnovers dampened their momentum and that his foul trouble interrupted his rhythm. But it'll help him develop into a more efficient scorer, especially when the veterans return to the fold. Not to mention Brandin Podziemski's solid 14 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. His offense was a bit up and down, but he finished with a team-high +14.
The Warriors will travel to Denver for their second matchup with the Nuggets. Before the game, Kerr said he's hopeful Butler and Green will be good to go for that matchup after getting scratched from this one. As for Curry, who's dealing with a cold and did not make the drive up to Sacramento, Kerr didn't express much concern for the engine of the team. A loss is a loss but the emergence of their young guys, their “second timeline,” is one silver lining.
