Curry, Warriors hold off Kings 126-125 to even series 2-all

SAN FRANCISCO(AP) — First, Draymond Green suggested to Warriors coach Steve Kerrthat he come off the bench for Game 4 against the Sacramento Kingsafter Golden State had played so brilliantly without him.

Then athalftime Sunday, a couple of assistant coaches offered up the ideato Kerr that Green should defend De’Aaron Fox for the final twoquarters.

Thosecollaborative, spot-on moves helped overshadow a late blunder, andnow the defending champions are all tied up in their first-roundplayoff series at two games apiece.

Stephen Curryscored 32 points but gave Sacramento a late chance when he called atimeout Golden State didn’t have, then the Warriors held on to beatthe Kings 126-125 on Sunday when Harrison Barnes missed a 3-pointerat the buzzer.

“These gamesare coming down to the wire, and you’ve just got to really finishpossessions and try to give yourself the best chance, and thensometimes, it’s just, does the ball go in or not,” Kerr said.

Fox had 38points, nine rebounds and five assists for Sacramento. His 3 with28.7 seconds left pulled the Kings within one, then Curry missed a16-foot jumper on the other end and Keegan Murray corralled therebound. With Curry and Green defending, Fox dished to formerWarrior Barnes for the potential game-winning 3, which hit the backof the rim.

“Wide open,”Barnes said. “Fox trusted me to take that shot. Back rim. On to thenext but I feel confident in where we are.”

Golden Stateled 126-121 with 42.4 seconds left when Curry called the excessivetimeout, and Malik Monk made the technical free throw forSacramento.

Klay Thompsonmade a baseline 3-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer andanother with 3:24 left, finishing with 26 points for theWarriors.

Game 5 in thebest-of-seven series is Wednesday night at Sacramento’s Golden 1Center, where the Kings went ahead 2-0. The Warriors struggled onthe road all year.

“As good asthis feels, it’s got to be quickly forgotten about,” Thompsonsaid.

Curry’s 3with 4:10 remaining gave Golden State a 121-117 lead and hefinished 11 for 22 with five 3s while dueling all afternoon withFox.

After Monk’slayup made it 107-106 Kings with 9:03 to play, Curry responded witha driving layup and a 3 in a 14-second span.

Green cameoff the bench after serving a one-game suspension while theWarriors dominated Thursday’s Game 3 without him. Given themomentum and success, Kerr stuck with Jordan Poole in the startingfive Sunday.

“I’m a firmbeliever if something isn’t broke you don’t fix it,” Greensaid.

He made anifty behind-the-back pass for a Curry 3 midway through the fourth,then swatted a shot by Domantas Sabonis with 1:37 left.

Green,disciplined for stepping on Sabonis’ chest in the fourth quarter ofGame 2, checked in to a rousing ovation with 6:38 left in theopening quarter and wound up with 12 points, 10 rebounds and sevenassists. He and Fox picked up double technicals at the 5:43 mark ofthe first.

Sabonis added14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and now heads homedetermined to get the Kings closer to winning their first playoffseries since eliminating Dallas in the 2004 first round.

“We made sometimely mistakes, especially in the fourth quarter,” coach MikeBrown said. “This is where our playoff inexperience comes into playbecause you can’t rest out there, or you can’t think that you canplay something a certain way and the champions are not going tomake you pay the price.”

Poole scored22 points, Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, eight rebounds and fourblocked shots, and Kevon Looney pulled down 14 rebounds to go witheight points and six assists.

Murray’s 3with 10:43 left pulled the Kings within 102-99 after a 7-0 burst tobegin the fourth after the 3 by Thompson to end the third put theWarriors ahead 102-92. Brown instructed his young star to “let itfly” and Murray shined under the matinee lights, scoring 23points.

Thompson’sdriving and dishing is something Kerr pointed to as a successopening up the floor in Game 3 and Thompson penetrated and foundMoses Moody for a baseline 3 late in the first. Golden State movedthe ball with snappy passes that created open looks.

MURRAY’SGROWTH

Murray shot 9for 13 with five 3s after he went a combined 1 for 8 on 3s and 3 of13 in the first three games.

“I’ve justtried to be more aggressive throughout the playoffs and I kneweventually I’d catch my stride on the offensive end, so it’s just amatter of time and I came in confident,” Murray said.

TIP-INS

Kings:Sacramento scored 18 points off Golden State’s 12 turnovers whilecommitting just 10 of its own. ... The Kings shot 14 of 35 fromdeep, 3 for 11 by Fox and 1 of 6 by Barnes.

Warriors:Gary Payton II returned to play seven minutes after missing Game 3with an illness. ... Green had started the last 132 postseasongames he played, last coming off the bench in Game 3 against theClippers in 2014. ... Golden State shot 52.2% in the first.

LEADINGLATE

The Warriorsimproved to 75-3 since Kerr became coach when leading a playoffgame by 10 or more at any point in the fourth quarter.