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The Golden State Warriors entered Monday's matchup with the Sacramento Kings coming off a winless five-game road trip. Trailing by double-digits at both halftime and early in the fourth quarter, it sure seemed like the early-season problems plaguing the defending champions went much deeper than long-awaited rotation changes, too.
None of the planned lineup buttons Steve Kerr pushed before intermission worked against the Kings, and the only groups that found success in the Warriors' completely ad hoc second-half rotation were comprised of the Warriors' “foundational six.” Sacramento shot a whopping 21 free throws in the first half, and outscored Golden State's bench by 49-15.
So much of Monday's game was a repeat of what's dogged the Warriors over a dispiriting first three weeks of 2022-23. What made the difference in their much-needed 116-113 victory over the Kings, then? Stephen Curry simply refused to let his team lose.
The reigning Finals MVP erupted for 47 points, eight rebounds and eight assists on Monday, shooting 17-of-24 from the field and 7-of-12 on triples. He connected on his first seven shots, didn't commit a single turnover and dropped 17 points in the final stanza, including seven straight points with just over a minute left to give the Warriors their first lead since the first quarter, one they never relinquished.
“That fourth quarter was kind of just win at all costs mode. Just trying to make plays,” Curry said. “Thankfully shots went down, but we needed some results. We still got some issues, we still got to play better. But we needed a win to feel good about something coming off that 0-5 road trip.”
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Curry expressed confidence on the postgame podium that Golden State would ultimately fix what's currently ailing its bench.
The Warriors' reserves, shocker, were all in the plus-minus red. Jordan Poole was an afterthought or abject negative once again, and Jonathan Kuminga didn't play in the second half despite being reinserted into the rotation early. Kerr was so desperate for answers after intermission that he split Draymond Green and Kevon Looney's minutes until crunch-time.
For at least one night of the 82-game grind, though, Monday's result mattered much more than the process it took to achieve.
“I think I told the postgame crew, I've never been more happy about a win in game 11 of the regular season, just based off of we needed it,” Curry said. “Road trip was rough, coming off the court every night knowing we can play better, knowing what we needed to do and not having anything to show for the effort. Then you come home and you feel like the angst and anxiety of like, ‘We just need a win.' Thankfully we got it done, but we still gotta take some steps in terms of playing better for 48 minutes.”
