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Quick start by Warriors stops Kings
Golden State races to a 40-28 first-quarter lead, and Baron Davis is phenomenal.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:20 am PST Friday, November 17, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
OAKLAND-The written request asked for three stops to start the game, a task deemed important by coach Eric Musselman and displayed on a poster in the Kings' Oracle Arena locker room.
But by the time the first quarter was over, the Warriors were blowing by the Kings' stop signs as if they were posted on nearby Interstate 880. A 40-point opening by the Warriors was the fast track to a 117-105 Kings loss, breaking their four-game winning streak and dropping their road record to 1-3.
Before the Kings could even gauge their surroundings -- perhaps noticing a rare non-sellout crowd of 17,821 for the Northern California rivalry game -- they trailed 18-6 less than five minutes in.
Golden State made eight of its first nine shots, abusing the Kings with a layups-and-dunks montage starring all five Warriors starters. The small-ball style of Warriors coach Don Nelson was too quick for the Kings, with Baron Davis running quite a show. He had 11 first-quarter assists, one shy of tying a franchise record for assists in a quarter.
"We didn't come out ready to play," Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. "That's the only way you can explain it when they get 40 in a quarter. ... They played so many small guys, and they were so spaced out. (Nelson) kind of junks the game up, makes it uncomfortable ... ."
Davis finished with 18 assists and 36 points, including a three-pointer with 5:58 left that put the Warriors up by 11 points after the Kings had cut it to seven.
Second-year guard Monta Ellis looked primed to give Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin some competition for the league's Most Improved Player award. He had 11 of his 17 points in the first quarter, as the Warriors shot 17 for 23 from the field and led 40-28 in what easily qualified as the Kings' worst defensive period of the season.
"The dribble penetration killed us," Musselman said. "(Davis) was off-the-charts phenomenal."
The Kings, who entered as the fourth-worst team in the turnover department, committed 19 more. And after their scoring had improved in every game since the start of the season, the offense regressed on a 43.2 percent shooting night (35 for 81).
Point guard Mike Bibby and small forward Ron Artest, who had both recovered from early-season shooting slumps, were a combined 11 for 37 from the field. Martin had 26 points on 7 for 16 shooting. The Kings were atrocious from beyond the arc, hitting 1 of 17 attempts. Bibby and Artest were a combined 0 for 11 from three-point range.
The Warriors, meanwhile, made history. Davis' outing marked the first time since March 12, 1995, that a Golden State player had at least 30 points and 15 assists, the feat belonging to Tim Hardaway.
"I should've guarded him from the beginning," said Artest, who held Warriors forward Jason Richardson to 16 points. "But it's a team effort. We need to make sure we can defend as a team. I can't stop all the people on my own."
The Warriors' 40-point first quarter was the team's first since April 9, 2000. Their 57.7 percent shooting night was an opponents' season high for the Kings.
The Kings' sloppiness began from the tip, when forward Kenny Thomas committed two turnovers on the first two possessions. The Kings had three more just after the six-minute mark had passed. But midway through the second quarter, Musselman matched Nelson's lineup, calling on Jason Hart, Artest, Ronnie Price, Martin and Corliss Williamson. The unit slowed the onslaught, tying the Warriors 19-19 in the final 8:36 to trail 65-53 at halftime. It was Hart's first action of the season, and the five-year veteran responded with nine points in 21 minutes.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@ sacbee.com.
Quick start by Warriors stops Kings
Golden State races to a 40-28 first-quarter lead, and Baron Davis is phenomenal.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:20 am PST Friday, November 17, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
OAKLAND-The written request asked for three stops to start the game, a task deemed important by coach Eric Musselman and displayed on a poster in the Kings' Oracle Arena locker room.
But by the time the first quarter was over, the Warriors were blowing by the Kings' stop signs as if they were posted on nearby Interstate 880. A 40-point opening by the Warriors was the fast track to a 117-105 Kings loss, breaking their four-game winning streak and dropping their road record to 1-3.
Before the Kings could even gauge their surroundings -- perhaps noticing a rare non-sellout crowd of 17,821 for the Northern California rivalry game -- they trailed 18-6 less than five minutes in.
Golden State made eight of its first nine shots, abusing the Kings with a layups-and-dunks montage starring all five Warriors starters. The small-ball style of Warriors coach Don Nelson was too quick for the Kings, with Baron Davis running quite a show. He had 11 first-quarter assists, one shy of tying a franchise record for assists in a quarter.
"We didn't come out ready to play," Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. "That's the only way you can explain it when they get 40 in a quarter. ... They played so many small guys, and they were so spaced out. (Nelson) kind of junks the game up, makes it uncomfortable ... ."
Davis finished with 18 assists and 36 points, including a three-pointer with 5:58 left that put the Warriors up by 11 points after the Kings had cut it to seven.
Second-year guard Monta Ellis looked primed to give Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin some competition for the league's Most Improved Player award. He had 11 of his 17 points in the first quarter, as the Warriors shot 17 for 23 from the field and led 40-28 in what easily qualified as the Kings' worst defensive period of the season.
"The dribble penetration killed us," Musselman said. "(Davis) was off-the-charts phenomenal."
The Kings, who entered as the fourth-worst team in the turnover department, committed 19 more. And after their scoring had improved in every game since the start of the season, the offense regressed on a 43.2 percent shooting night (35 for 81).
Point guard Mike Bibby and small forward Ron Artest, who had both recovered from early-season shooting slumps, were a combined 11 for 37 from the field. Martin had 26 points on 7 for 16 shooting. The Kings were atrocious from beyond the arc, hitting 1 of 17 attempts. Bibby and Artest were a combined 0 for 11 from three-point range.
The Warriors, meanwhile, made history. Davis' outing marked the first time since March 12, 1995, that a Golden State player had at least 30 points and 15 assists, the feat belonging to Tim Hardaway.
"I should've guarded him from the beginning," said Artest, who held Warriors forward Jason Richardson to 16 points. "But it's a team effort. We need to make sure we can defend as a team. I can't stop all the people on my own."
The Warriors' 40-point first quarter was the team's first since April 9, 2000. Their 57.7 percent shooting night was an opponents' season high for the Kings.
The Kings' sloppiness began from the tip, when forward Kenny Thomas committed two turnovers on the first two possessions. The Kings had three more just after the six-minute mark had passed. But midway through the second quarter, Musselman matched Nelson's lineup, calling on Jason Hart, Artest, Ronnie Price, Martin and Corliss Williamson. The unit slowed the onslaught, tying the Warriors 19-19 in the final 8:36 to trail 65-53 at halftime. It was Hart's first action of the season, and the five-year veteran responded with nine points in 21 minutes.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@ sacbee.com.
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