behind a Domantas Sabonis active and aggressive on both sides of the pitch, Kings start with an 8-0. Stephen Curry responds immediately, but the first quarter turns into a trench war, with two teams at less than 35% address and 13 lost balls (25-23).
While the tempo and concentration of Warriors are always doubtful, the players of Sacramento are finally starting to capitalize on their defensive stops. They sign an 11/17 to shoot, with a nice 4/7 from afar, to start the second quarter and turn to +11! Klay Thompson limits the damage and Sacramento returns to the locker room with only 7 points ahead, despite total domination (58-51).
Mike Brown’s men then continue their momentum. They control the rebound, boasting 16 offensive rebounds halfway through the third quarter. The Kings’ stranglehold, however, comes up against Domantas Sabonis’ fifth foul and Golden State then pushes, but three award-winning baskets of Malik Monk and one of De’Aaron Fox stop the comeback, to put Sacramento at +13 and air-condition the Chase Center (88-75).
Stephen Curry starts the fourth quarter on fire, scoring 11 of the champions’ first 14 points, but the Monk-Fox duo consistently respond to him. On the street since the start of the series, it’s Kevin Hurter, thanks to two 3-point baskets in a row, which definitely kills the Warriors’ robbery hopes. The Kings have earned their Game 7 and it’s a whole city that will be waiting for the “Dubs” on Sunday!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— Sacramento’s defense bogs down Golden State. The first three possessions of the match announced the color for the Kings: Domantas Sabonis forces two loose balls near the circle and against Kevon Looney. The Sacramento players were ready for “dunker spot” passes for the Warriors center, but they were also much more aggressive on the ball carrier. They held Golden State to 37% address, while causing 18 loose balls and defending the circle with more force.
— Mike Brown’s adjustments. In addition to a more active defense, the Coach of the Year has changed his rotation for this Game 6, opting for a constant “small ball”. Terence Davis took the minutes from Alex Len and Trey Lyles nibbled the minutes from the low-danger Harrison Barnes. The Kings also put Stephen Curry to work on defense, involving him in plenty of off-the-ball and pick-and-roll action. Draymond Green’s three fouls played in favor of this “small ball”, putting Kevon Looney in delicate situations against the Sacramento shooters. Brown also placed Sabonis in the corner to make assisting Looney’s circle more difficult. Finally, like the first two games, the Kings systematically pushed the tempo after a defensive rebound and after a scored basket, to attack a Golden State defense on their heels.
— The flip side of Golden State’s experience. With a golden opportunity to finish the job at home, the Warriors have yet been a shadow of themselves throughout the meeting. From the first possessions, the Kings took control of operations by playing with much more energy, aggression and concentration than their opponents. Their offensive rebounds in the first act were the shining symbol. The “Dubs” were a step behind throughout the match, being unable to slow down opposing penetrations and make the difference in 1-on-1. Note that after having had two days of rest before games 3, 4 and 5, this Game 6 was played with a beat day, so if the Warriors have the experience on their side, the latter also comes with a advanced age and high mileage. To use the expression of Dillon Brooks, the Warriors looked old against the ardor of the Kings and they will only have one day before Game 7 of all dangers in Sacramento.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ De’Aaron Fox & Malik Monk. The Kings point guard and guard spearheaded Sacramento’s display. The Warriors were unable to stop their penetrations towards the circle. They finish respectively with 26 points, 10/18 in shooting, and 11 assists, as well as 28 points, 8/14 in shooting, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
✅ Keegan Murray & Trey Lyles. They both finish in double-double: 15 points and 12 rebounds for Murray in the five, 12 points and 10 rebounds for Lyles off the bench. Their address from long range hurt the Warriors and their 22 rebounds were important to help Sabonis against Kevon Looney.
✅ ⛔ Domantas Sabonis. The Lithuanian started strong, before disappearing from circulation due to his foul problem. He finished with 7 points, 3/12 to shoot, but he grabbed 11 rebounds (including… 9 offensive!) to bring his stone to the building.
✅ ⛔ Stephen Curry & Clay Thompson. The “Splash Brothers” scored 51 points with two, more than half of their team’s points, but only 39% from skill. Thompson was transparent in the second half and despite scoring 11 points in the final act, Curry wasted 5 balls and looked dull.
⛔ Jordan Poole. After three solid performances in Games 3, 4, and 5, Poole fell back into his ways in Game 6. He finished with 7 points, 2/11 on shot, unable to finish near the circle, often losing balance and making questionable decisions.
THE FOLLOWING
Game 7 in Sacramento, Sunday night (9:30 p.m.).
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
