Monk, Fox lead Kings past Warriors 118-99 to force Game 7

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Malik Monk scored 28 points, De’Aaron Foxadded 26 points and 11 assists, and the Sacramento Kings staved offelimination in their first-round playoff series by beating StephenCurry and the Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Friday night in Game6.

Now, a winner-takes-all Game 7 is back in Sacramento on Sundayafternoon.

Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points with four 3-pointers andgrabbed 12 rebounds for his first playoff double-double, and theNo. 3-seeded Kings withstood every scoring surge the defendingchampions made on their home court and shined in nearly every facetof this one with their special season on the line.

Kevin Huerter, struggling with his shot all series — 20 of 52coming into the game — hit a 3 with 6:23 to go and another with4:58 left as Sacramento gave the state capital one more chance toLight the Beam.

Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson 22 and Kevon Looney pulled down13 more rebounds to give him an NBA-leading 85 this postseason. Hewas coming off a career-high 22 rebounds in a Game 5 win at Golden1 Center.

But the Kings, in the postseason for the first time since 2006,answered almost every big play by Golden State in the third quarterand capitalized on regular miscues. They outhustled the Warriors tothe boards.

The Kings led 90-80 heading into the final 12 minutes. Curry hitan early 3, only for Trey Lyles to connect moments later. WhenCurry drove for a layup the next possession, Monk made one of hisown.

Curry's 3 with 9:28 left got Golden State within 99-89 beforeFox hit.

Fox's first points came on a jumper with 2:18 left in the firston his first shot. He then scored again the next time down stilldealing with a broken index finger on his shooting hand. He shot 10for 18.

Sacramento snapped a six-game losing streak on the Warriors'home floor dating to a win on Feb. 25, 2020.

Lyles wound up with 12 points and 10 rebounds as others pickedup the slack with Domantas Sabonis in foul trouble. The big man hadseven points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 5:17 left.

Fox had been frustrated with his poor fourth quarter inWednesday's 123-116 defeat in which he went 0 for 6 from the fieldand was scoreless — the most shots he had ever taken in a finalperiod without scoring.

Draymond Green came off the bench for a third straight game andreceived a rousing standing ovation when checking in for the firsttime at the 6:26 mark of the opening quarter. He had 10assists.

Both teams took a while to warm up, with Sacramento starting 6for 23 and Golden State 6 of 19.

PAYTON'S DEGREE

Golden State guard Gary Payton II surprised mother Monique withhis college diploma in person Friday morning. Paytonhadpromised her he would finish hisdegreeat Oregon State, and he did so recently to completea major in human development and family science.

TIP-INS

Kings: Sacramento's bench outscored the Warriors' reserves52-21. ... The Kings were 4 of 16 to start from deep but finished17 of 45. ... Sabonis suffered a cut under his left eye on a jumpball with Looney in the second quarter.

Warriors: Curry missed three free throws, practically unheardof, as his team went 25 of 35 from the line. ... The Warriors gaveup 23 points on their 19 turnovers. ... Green picked up his thirdfoul at the 7:09 mark of the second quarter. ... Golden State is8-3 in Game 6s dating back to their 2015 title run and 22-11 inclose-out games.