By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
De’Aaron Fox scored 38 points, Lithuanian big man Domantas Sabonis had 12 points and 16 rebounds and after 17 seasons, the Sacramento Kings finally got a win.
Fox was tied for the second-highest playoff debut in NBA history second only to Luka Doncic – who had 42 points three years ago – to lead the Kings to a 126-123 victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
“You need guys like that on your side because they know everything we’re throwing at them,” coach Mike Brown said. “There are no secrets. You have to have guys on your team that can go make plays and Foxy went and made plays tonight.”
Malik Monk made two free throws to make it 126-123 with 2.9 seconds left. Steph Curry missed a runner from 3 at the buzzer, giving the Kings their first playoff win since April 30, 2006, against San Antonio.
“That first game is kind of a feeling out process,” Curry said. “We responded. That’s what we are capable of doing. It was a high-energy game from start to finish.”
Monk finished with 32 points off the bench for the winners, Curry led the Warriors with 30 points, Klay Thompson added 21, and Wiggins and Poole scored 18 apiece. Ukrainian big man Alex Len had four points, seven rebounds, and one block for the Kings.
Road win for the Knicks
Jalen Brunson scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, Julius Randle returned from an ankle injury to add 19 — and a critical final rebound — and the Knicks welcomed Cleveland back to the NBA playoffs by holding off the Cavaliers 101-97.
All-Star Donovan Mitchell finished with 38 points, and tried his best for the losing side, but couldn’t save the day.
German big man Isaiah Hartenstein added eight points and five rebounds for the Knicks, while Turk forward Cedi Osman had nine points and two assists for the Kings, while Spaniard Ricky Rubio added two rebounds and one steal.
The Knicks are the only team to get a road win on the first day of the playoffs.