The Sacramento Kings bounced back from three straight defeats with an impressive 118-99 victory over the NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Friday to force a decisive game seven in their first-round playoff series.
Facing elimination, the inexperienced Kings were undaunted at Chase Center in San Francisco — where the Warriors were 33-8 in the regular season.
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They seized a quick 8-0 lead to set an early tone and pushed the advantage to double digits in the second quarter.
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“We always believe in ourselves,” Fox told broadcaster ESPN in an on-court interview. “We never came in here just thinking our season would be over tonight.
“Everybody believed in each other. We know that we can score with anybody and I think in the post-season our defense has been better.”
Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for Sacramento. Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles added 12 apiece as the Kings withstood every Warriors attempt to rally.
Center Domantas Sabonis finished with seven points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with five minutes remaining — sporting a black eye from taking an elbow on a jump ball in the second period.
Curry led the Warriors with 29 points and five assists, and Thompson added 22, but they got little support.
Andrew Wiggins chipped in 13 for Golden State, but Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole had just seven apiece and the Kings’ bench outscored Golden State’s reserves 52-21.
The winner of the series will face either the Memphis Grizzlies or Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals.
LeBron James and the Lakers are trying to finish off the Grizzlies in Los Angeles, where the hosts took a 3-2 lead into game six of their series.
