Late rally keeps Warriors perfect preseason intact

3-0!

The Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings for the second time in three nights on Friday, escaping with a dramatic 109-106 win and bringing their preseason record to a pristine 3-0. But while wins are good and fun (and should always be celebrated), the victory wasn’t really the story in this game, as is so often the case in preseason.

Instead, it was a story of the team’s fourth-year lottery picks showing up and showing out, a mere 10 days before the deadline for their rookie extensions.

Moses Moody, who has shined all camp but still been towards the back of Steve Kerr’s rotations, was given a chance to start on Friday, forming an odd and creative starting lineup alongside Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Gary Payton II, and Kyle Anderson. It didn’t take long for Anderson to show off his new-and-improved jumper, as the first two Warriors buckets were threes by the newcomer. But the Dubs, as has been the case for a while, were plagued by turnovers.

As the rotations started to change, the Warriors started to find some rhythm, but sloppiness abounded. The Warriors shot a scintillating 8-for-11 from distance in the quarter, and had eight assists, but they turned the ball over six times ... while Sacramento had no turnovers. Still, the hot shooting was enough for a 34-30 lead.

But the second quarter starter awfully. Sacramento rattled off a 7-0 run to begin the frame, and All-Star De’Aaron Fox had a trio of triples in the first few minutes, while Green picked up his fourth foul. It seemed an opportunity for the game to slip away, but Moody’s strong play helped keep the Warriors in it, even as Curry exited the game with a jammed finger (he is reportedly just fine).

Sloppiness continued to show up for Golden State, as they recorded another six turnovers in the second frame. This time the threes wouldn’t bail them out, as they shot just 1-for-9, and they trailed 58-55 at halftime.

The second half started horribly, with Curry still in the locker room, Green only playing for a few minutes, and De’Anthony Melton getting his first playing time. The lone bright spot in the first few minutes was that newly-minted Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase joined Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike in the booth, and that was a treat. Sacramento quickly built up a double-digit lead as the Warriors played some fairly atrocious basketball.

But then Moody and fellow 2021 draftee Jonathan Kuminga started to not only catch fire, but put the team on their shoulders. They were both aggressive, working downhill to get layups and trips to the free throw line, getting out in transition, and also showing off their three-point jumpers. They willed the team back into the game, and the Dubs ended the quarter on an 11-2 run, pulling to within three points.

That energy carried into the fourth quarter where, unlike in previous games, the Warriors were still exclusively using rotation players. Moody was still putting on an absolute show, but the Kings looked to be building up a comfortable lead. Finally, with just over four minutes left and the Dubs trailing by six, Kerr turned deeper to the bench, bringing in the two-way guys alongside Moody and Lindy Waters III. A few possessions later, Moody would exit, too.

But the back-of-the-roster players didn’t want Moody and Kuminga to have their fine performances squandered. They kept things close, and then tied the game with just over two minutes left. On the next possession, Gui Santos forced a missed jumped with a great closeout, leaked out, caught a perfect pass from Pat Spencer, and finished without a dribble for a three-point play. The Kings would come back to take the lead with about 55 seconds remaining, before a gorgeous hesitation move resulted in a Spencer layup with 42 seconds left.

After Sacramento botched a two-for-one (and, more critically, missed the shot), Reece Beekman made a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game with 16.7 seconds remaining. From there it would just require one final defensive stand, and while Sacramento got two shots off from beyond the arc, neither were good looks and the Warriors hung on to a very fun victory.

Moody finished with a game-high 23 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-6 from deep, and, perhaps most encouragingly, 7-for-8 from the free throw line, while also grabbing three rebounds and playing fantastic defense. Kuminga came off the bench for the first time this preseason but played his best basketball, keeping the Dubs in transition while netting 19 points on just 5-for-8 shooting, which included going 3-for-4 from distance and 6-for-10 from the free throw line. The Warriors have to be giddy that the fourth-year wings combined for 18 free throws, as well as the seven rebounds that Kuminga pulled down.

Waters had another strong game too, as he continues to make a case for a spot in the rotation. He only shot 1-5 and 0-3 from deep, but got to the line repeatedly, where he made all seven of his free throws. He also grabbed four rebounds, and finished with a team-best +13.

Golden State will try to keep their undefeated postseason alive on Sunday, when they host the Detroit Pistons at 5:30 p.m. PT.