When Stephen Curry and the Warriors headed into Game 6 at Golden State with a 3-2 series lead and a 13-1 home playoff record since 2022, it seemed they were all but guaranteed a spot in the conference semifinals.
Instead, the Sacramento Kings dealt the Warriors a rare home defeat, 118-99.
The Warriors will now face the Kings in Game 7, marking the first win-or-die situation Golden State has faced since the 2018 conference finals against the Houston Rockets.
After a regular-season record of 33-8 at home, good for third-best in the NBA, Golden State fans were shocked at the team’s inability to close out the series despite Curry’s 29-point night.
The score was deadlocked in the second quarter before two highlight dunks by Kings bench player Trey Lyles pulled Sacramento ahead.
Warriors turnovers and missed shots stretched their deficit further. In the final minutes, Golden State trailed by 19 points, the largest postseason fourth-quarter deficit at home the Warriors have had under head coach Steve Kerr.
Another bench player for the Kings, Malik Monk racked up a team-best 28 points. The Warriors bench recorded 21 between Draymond Green, Donte DiVincenzo and Moses Moody.
Now, Warriors enthusiasts are bracing themselves for their first Game 7 in five years. The situation received varying levels of optimism from Warriors fans, who saw their team win three straight against the Kings to recover from a 2-0 series deficit.
Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday at Sacramento, with the time to be determined.
