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 Five players scored in double-digits, paced by guard Stephen
Curry's 23 points, and Golden State's bench produced a 49-point
advantage of their Sacramento counterparts in a 121-96 rout at Sleep
Train Arena on Tuesday.
"You know, that's really one of this team's major strengths and
advantages," forward David Lee said. "Our depth, our versatility,
and our ability to really accept our roles really give us a lot of
ways that we can succeed."
Thompson scored 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting in his first contest
against the Kings since scoring 52 points -- including an NBA-record
37 points on 13-for-13 shooting in the third quarter -- against them
in Golden State's 126-101 win in Oakland on Jan. 23. Thompson, who
set a Warriors mark with 11 3-pointers in that game, made only two
of five from long range in this one.
Despite that, Golden State continued a two-season barrage against
the Kings. The Warriors swept the four-game season series for the
second straight year, winning each by an average of 22 points per
contest.
This time, they did it by relying on their reserves. Guard Andre
Iguodala and forward Mo Speights each scored 17 points off the
bench, and the Warriors (38-8) subs outscored Sacramento's 61-12.
"It wasn't just the points," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It was
their defense late in the first quarter, and early in the second
that really turned the direction of the game."
The Kings jumped the Warriors early, with McLemore scoring 13 of his
18 points to help Sacramento to a 22-14 lead. But Golden State
scored the game's next 23 points, holding the Kings scoreless for a
7:05 stretch, including the last 4:43 of the first quarter.
The Warriors never looked back after that, building their lead to
63-42 by halftime, and leading by as many as 24 points late in the
fourth quarter after Sacramento sliced the lead to 91-80 late in the
third quarter.
"They got out, and we got a little stagnant offensively," Kings
coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We made a good run, then they went on an
18-0 run to finish the quarter out. ... Their bench has been good,
and they shoot the ball very well."
Iguadola made six of eight shots, and Speights was 8-for-13. Guard
Leandro Barbosa also added 12 off the bench for the Warriors.
"Their bench came in, did a great job, pushed the game ahead a lot
more and made it tough for our whole team, basically," Kings center
DeMarcus Cousins said.
Cousins scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half for Sacramento
and also grabbed 11 rebounds. Cousins has had double-doubles in 12
of his past 13 games and 25 of his past 28. He also had four blocked
shots, matching his career best and moving him past forward
Francisco Garcia into eighth place on Sacramento's all-time list.
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Forward Rudy Gay scored 20 points, and guard Darren Collison added
18 for Sacramento, but the Kings (17-30) still lost for the ninth
time in 10 contests. Sacramento also has dropped five consecutive
home contests and fell to 6-17 under coach Tyrone Corbin.
"We just need to keep sticking with it," Collison said. "We've got
good players in here."
The Warriors had more Tuesday. Golden State canned 10 of 23
3-pointers, outrebounded Sacramento 49-34, outscored them in the
paint 52-38 and 30-16 on the fastbreak.
They also finished with 33 assists, including 22 in the first half,
their 19th contest with at least 30 assists this season.
"When we move the around like we did," Kerr said, "we're really
tough to guard."
The Warriors have won 29 times by double-digits this season, and
either Curry or Thompson has been their leading scorer in 14
consecutive contests.
NOTES: The Warriors played the first of 11 road games they will play
over their next 13 games. Golden State hosts Dallas on Wednesday,
then closes the first half with four road games (Atlanta, New York,
Philadelphia, Minnesota) in six nights. After a nine-day break, the
Warriors host San Antonio on Feb. 20, then play six road games
(Indiana, Washington, Cleveland, Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn) in nine
days. ... Warriors F Festus Ezeli was back in uniform after missing
Golden State's previous 18 contests with a sprained ankle. Ezeli
played for the first time since Dec. 23. ... Kings F Jason Thompson
played his 506th game with the Kings. On Wednesday against Dallas,
he will move within 10 of G Mitch Richmond for second on
Sacramento's all-time list. He would move within 10 games of
all-time leader G Peja Stojakovicon Saturday in Utah. ... C DeMarcus
Cousins is Sacramento's first All-Star representative since
Stojakovic and F Brad Miller played in the 2004 contest.
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