The Golden State Warriors overwhelmed the Sacramento Kings 132-106 on Friday night, securing their fourth win in five games since acquiring Jimmy Butler.
Buddy Hield and Moses Moody led Golden State with 22 points each, while Brandin Podziemski added 21. Stephen Curry finished with 20 points as the Warriors climbed to 29-27, moving two games above .500 for the first time since December.
DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 34 points, and Domantas Sabonis recorded 14 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, falling one short of a triple-double. The Kings, now 28-28, have struggled defensively since trading De’Aaron Fox, allowing over 110 points in five consecutive games.
Golden State set the tone in the second quarter, using a dominant stretch to build a 20-point lead. The Warriors shot 11-of-23 from three-point range in the first half and entered the break up 68-53.
Sacramento briefly cut the deficit to nine midway through the third quarter, but Golden State answered with an 11-0 run. Curry capped it off with five straight points, restoring a 20-point cushion heading into the fourth.
Ball control played a major role in the Warriors’ victory. After committing 19 and 22 turnovers in their previous two meetings with Sacramento, Golden State limited its giveaways to 12.
Markelle Fultz made his Kings debut, scoring eight points in nine minutes after signing with the team last week.
The Warriors continued their recent hot streak under their revamped lineup, improving to 4-1 with Butler in uniform. They also took advantage of Sacramento’s defensive struggles, shooting 54% from the field.
The Kings fell below .500 for the first time since November and are 3-4 since trading Fox. They will look to tighten their defense as they fight to stay in the Western Conference play-in race.
