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Charles Barkley cannot believe the Sacramento Kings' shot selection in the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors. Sacramento went up by 16 points in the first half, but the Warriors came back and trimmed the lead down to four at the end of the second quarter.
Keegan Murray had a big half for the Kings with 16 points after hitting four 3-point shots. Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox were solid and Keon Ellis was a jolt of energy on both ends of the floor. However, poor shot selection and failure to get stops gave Golden State a lifeline.
Barkley was critical of Sacramento's shot selection in the first half. He reckons they should have been up by double-digits, but it's their fault that the Warriors were within striking distance to start the third quarter.
"I feel bad for Sacramento," Barkley said. "They should be up 10 points but they take so many bad shots."
The Kings took some contested shots from beyond the arc in the first half. They shot 8-for-22 from the 3 but should have attacked the basket more. The Warriors were using a small ball lineup, and Domantas Sabonis could have been more aggressive in the paint.
Protecting the lead has been a problem for Sacramento throughout the season. It's one of the reasons they fell into the NBA Play-In Tournament spots. They got too comfortable in some of the important games during the final stretch, including a 108-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the penultimate game of the season.
Kings prove Charles Barkley wrong, eliminate Warriors
The Sacramento Kings are still alive after beating the Golden State Warriors 118-94 on Tuesday night. Keegan Murray led the way with 32 points and nine rebounds, going 10-for-20 from the field, including 8-for-13 from beyond the arc.
De'Aaron Fox struggled on offense with 24 points on 25 shots, while Domantas Sabonis posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Keon Ellis, who was filling in for Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, was the unsung hero of the game.
Ellis had 15 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. He made Steph Curry work the entire night, limiting him to just 22 points. Klay Thompson laid an egg, going 0-for-10 from the field in what could be his last game as a Warrior.
Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent this season. He's free to sign with any team but is unlikely to get a max deal. The Warriors are going home and taking an early vacation, while Sacramento is on its way to New Orleans for another shot at making the playoffs.
Guess the Lakers players!
