Stephen Curry scored 17 points in his second game back from a right knee injury, and the Golden State Warriors snapped a four-game losing streak with a 110-105 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Curry, who returned Sunday after missing 27 games, changed the game in the biggest moments. He tied it at 104 with a 3-pointer with 2:38 left, then set up Brandin Podziemski for the go-ahead triple on the next possession.
The veteran guard did not start for the second straight game, but he still provided the kind of late shot-making Golden State needed. He finished 5-for-12 from the field and hit two four-point plays, including one late in the second quarter that helped the Warriors seize control before halftime.
De’Anthony Melton led Golden State with 21 points, and Podziemski added 20 as the Warriors improved to 36-42. The win kept them in firm position for the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference play-in race.
Golden State also got an important early lift from Curry’s energy on both ends. He entered to a loud ovation midway through the first quarter, quickly assisted Charles Bassey on offense and later blocked a shot on defense.
Sacramento made the game competitive down the stretch behind Maxime Raynaud, who posted 17 points and eight rebounds on his 23rd birthday. Killian Hayes added 18 off the bench, but the Kings dropped their sixth game in eight tries.
The Kings were in the game all night, but they could not answer Curry’s closing burst or Golden State’s ball movement. The Warriors finished with 27 assists and 17 made free throws, while Sacramento’s 11-for-31 shooting from three left it chasing points for much of the night.
The result also mattered in the broader context of the Western Conference. Golden State has been all but locked into the No. 10 seed, and with the play-in approaching, Curry’s return gives the Warriors a late-season weapon they have lacked for most of the spring.
The teams will meet again Friday in Sacramento, while the Warriors host the Lakers on Thursday in another key game before the postseason push.
