By the time the third quarter wound down, the outcome felt inevitable. The Golden State Warriors weren’t just making shots; they were bending the game to their will, forcing the Sacramento Kings into hurried decisions and long jogs back on defense. What began as a competitive opening quickly snowballed into a one-sided 137-103 victory that never truly came back to neutral.
Golden State played fast without being reckless, shared the ball without hesitation, and punished every late rotation. The Warriors finished the night shooting 54.7% from the floor and buried 19 three-pointers, turning a Kings team that entered with confidence into one stuck chasing shadows for most of the evening.
1. Golden State’s Shooting Night Was Simply Overwhelming
The Warriors didn’t need a feel-out period. From the opening minutes, shots fell cleanly, and the confidence followed. Stephen Curry led the way with 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting, drilling six triples and stretching Sacramento’s defense far beyond its comfort zone. Every made three seemed to open the floor even more.
Golden State finished 19-for-45 from deep, and it wasn’t just Curry doing the damage. Draymond Green knocked down three of his four attempts, Quinten Post hit three in limited minutes, and De’Anthony Melton added three more off the bench. Sacramento, meanwhile, managed just seven made threes all night, a math problem they never solved.
2. The Ball Movement Was Vintage Warriors Basketball
Golden State shared the ball like a team completely in sync. The Warriors finished with 39 assists against just 11 turnovers, repeatedly breaking Sacramento’s defense down with quick reads and extra passes. Curry had 10 assists, Green added eight, and Jimmy Butler chipped in six of his own.
Time and again, possessions ended with the Kings rotating one step too late. Whether it was a drive-and-kick from Butler, a short-roll pass from Green, or Curry drawing two defenders near the logo, Golden State always found the open man. Sacramento recorded 23 assists, but the contrast in flow and pace between the two offenses was stark.
3. Sacramento’s Stars Scored, But Couldn’t Tilt The Game
DeMar DeRozan tried to steady things, finishing with 24 points on an efficient 10-of-19 shooting night. Zach LaVine chipped in 15, and Russell Westbrook added 13 points and seven assists while pushing the pace whenever possible.
None of it changed the flow. Sacramento’s starters were buried in the plus-minus column, with LaVine finishing at minus-29 and DeRozan at minus-22. The Kings struggled to string together stops, allowed Golden State to shoot 42.2% from three, and never once flipped momentum long enough to make the Warriors uncomfortable.
4. Golden State’s Bench Kept Its Foot On The Gas
Golden State’s second unit made sure there was no lull. De’Anthony Melton delivered a jolt with 19 points in 19 minutes, attacking closeouts and knocking down three triples. Brandin Podziemski added 14 points, hit all six of his free throws, and finished with a game-best plus-28.
Even role players made their presence felt. Gary Payton II flew around defensively, Al Horford provided steady minutes inside, and Buddy Hield chipped in timely scoring. Instead of protecting a lead, the bench stretched it, and turned the final quarter into extended garbage time.
5. The Game Was Over Early, And The Numbers Prove It
Golden State led for nearly the entire night, controlling 93% of game time and pushing the lead as high as 35 points. They won the rebounding battle 41-31, dominated the paint 60-50, and committed just 11 turnovers while keeping the ball moving.
Sacramento never led by more than three points and was forced into a half-court game it couldn’t win. By the final minutes, the Warriors were perfect at the line (14-for-14), cruising to the finish while the Kings searched for answers that never came.
