The Sacramento Kings (10-6) orchestrated a remarkable comeback, erasing a 24-point deficit to edge past the Golden State Warriors (8-10) with a thrilling 124-123 victory in the In-Season Tournament.
The Kings, led by the dynamic De’Aaron Fox, secured their group’s top spot with a flawless 4-0 record, setting the stage for a quarterfinal clash against New Orleans on Monday.
Malik Monk emerged as the hero of the night, sinking a clutch fadeaway with just 7 seconds remaining, capping off the Kings’ late surge and securing their place in the tournament’s next round.
The Warriors, despite the return of Draymond Green from suspension, couldn’t maintain their early dominance.
Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins each contributed 29 points, but the late-game turnovers proved costly.
Despite the electric atmosphere surrounding Green’s return, the Warriors faced setbacks with Chris Paul leaving early in the first quarter due to lower left leg soreness and Gary Payton II exiting in the third quarter with a right calf injury.
Green’s technical foul for arguing a carry violation in the fourth quarter proved to be a turning point, igniting a 13-3 Sacramento run that shifted the momentum in favor of the Kings.
