On the second leg of a back-to-back, the Golden State Warriors lost a tightly contested matchup to the Sacramento Kings.
Despite the loss, many were impressed with the performance of Golden State’s young players.
Rookie Will Richard proved he belonged, while Moses Moody played phenomenally down the stretch.
Jonathan Kuminga started the game well, but ultimatelyit wasn’t enough to secure the victory.
Warriors rookie steals the show
Richard is one of the best Warriors rookies in a long time.
Scoring 30 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out three assists in his first NBA start is remarkable.
With Stephen Curry resting, the team’s reliance on depth increased, and Richard answered the call, as he has since his college days.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Richard was a member of the national champion Florida Gators and had the best game on the biggest stage in college hoops.
His 10-15 shooting and five made threes meant nothing to Richard because the Warriors lost.
Safe to say, Golden State struck gold again with this draft pick.
Moody and Kuminga looking stellar in Year 5 for the Warriors
Moody is the third youngest player in Warriors history to have consecutive games with 20 points and five three-pointers, trailing only Jordan Poole and Stephen Curry.
Against the Kings, Moody scored 28 points on 60% shooting, including two steals and four blocks.
In three of Moody’s seven games this season, he has scored 20 or more points while shooting a scorching 51% from beyond the arc.
As great as Moody has been, finding the perfect role for him remains a challenge for the Warriors. Should he start? Should he be the sixth man?
Regardless, Moody plays his role without question and will be important this season if the Warriors hope to reach their goals.
NBA: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Kuminga was expected to take charge this time, and it looked promising in the first half.
Finishing with 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists in that half, it seemed he was on track for a career night.
However, in the second half, Kuminga’s performance declined sharply as he went 2/10 from the floor.
Most of his mistakes were mental. He tends to get ahead of himself with decision-making and needs to slow down.
Kuminga has improved as a playmaker, but his processing skills need to be sharper to make the right play for himself sometimes.
Costly mistakes late in the fourth quarter could have cost Golden State the game, but Kuminga’s work ethic and attention to detail suggest this won’t be a common issue moving forward.
Expect the veterans back for Friday night
The Warriors led by 13 in the second quarter but lost the game in the details.
The Kings had fewer turnovers and a +19 advantage in points off turnovers.
Russell Westbrook, the best rebounding guard in NBA history, finished with a triple-double, constantly creating second opportunities for Sacramento down the stretch.
Despite the loss, this was a valuable game for the young players to show their resilience without Stephen Curry or Jimmy Butler, both of whom should be ready for Friday night’s game against the Nuggets.