Watch: Malik Monk’s game-winner caps Kings comeback
The Sacramento Kings just had to lose by 11 points or less to advance in the in-season tournament. Malik Monk sent them to the knockout round undefeated.
Monk hit a fallaway bank shot over Andrew Wiggins’ ferocious defense to beat the shot clock and give the Kings a come-from-behind 124-123 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors led by as many as 24 points late in the second quarter, and by five points with less than a minute to go, but a series of injuries, turnovers and bad decisions let the Kings come back and steal the game.
Monk was a huge part of the effort, scoring 21 points off the bench, and the final five points of the game. Before his game-winner, Monk picked off a wild pass from Stephen Curry and made a three-pointer to cut the Golden State lead to one point.
Golden State lost Chris Paul and Gary Payton II to injuries during this game. They also committed 18 turnovers and simply made poor decisions. Head coach Steve Kerr lost his last timeout challenging an obvious offensive foul on Curry.
Kerr also took out Moses Moody late, after he’d scored 11 points in the fourth quarter without missing a shot. Then Curry and Draymond Green turned the ball over on the team’s final two possessions.
The victory gives Sacramento a home game in the tournament semi-finals. They’ll host the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night, thanks to Monk, who is “banking” a lot of goodwill with Kings fans.
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