Instant Replay: Gritty Kings outdueled by unbeaten Warriors

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BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO -- Playing short-handed, the Sacramento Kings gave a gritty performance Saturday night at Sleep Train Arena. The result was a fifth straight loss, but not without plenty of drama.

Trailing by as many as 14, the Kings gave the World Champion Warriors all they could handle. Led by guard Rajon Rondo’s first triple-double in a Kings uniform, the home team gave the fans their money’s worth.

Marco Belinelli provided a huge spark off the bench, dropping in 22 points on 3-for-6 shooting from three-point range. Rudy Gay chipped in 22 points and seven rebounds and center Kosta Koufos added a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double.

NBA MVP Stephen Curry struggled from long range like many of his teammates. Curry finished the night with 24 points, but shot an almost unimaginable 2-for-10 from behind the arc. Klay Thompson got hot from the perimeter late, scoring 18 points in the Warriors 103-94 win.

STANDOUT PERFORMER  

With only one healthy point guard on the roster, George Karl played Rondo a game-high 45 minutes. The veteran responded with a 14 point, 12-rebound, 15-assist triple-double. Rondo also limited Curry, the NBA’s scoring leader, to 24 points and three assists. This was the 23rd triple-double of Rondo’s career.

TURNING POINT

The Warriors know how to rise to the occasion and that is exactly what they did down the stretch in Sacramento Saturday night. The Kings led 79-78 at the 6:37 mark of the fourth, but Golden State wore them down in the final minutes for the 103-94 victory.

INJURY UPDATE

DeMarcus Cousins missed his fourth straight game with an Achilles strain, but his return appears to be just around the corner. Darren Collison tweaked his hamstring late Friday night against the Houston Rockets and couldn’t go. The veteran guard had an MRI on Saturday and according to Collison, the results were “not good." Seth Curry missed the game with a right ankle sprain.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Sacramento Kings will take Sunday off before returning to their home court Monday night to face the San Antonio Spurs. 

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