The Zolmer Report

By Zack Zolmer
3/25/2012; 1:23 PM

The Sacramento Kings Fall to the Golden State Warriors 111-108

Game Rundown
In the first half of Saturday nights game, the Warriors looked like they wanted to win, and the Kings looked like they would be just fine giving it to them. Though Demarcus Cousins had 16 points and 9 rebounds at halftime, his defense on Golden State center David Lee made Lee look like an all-star. And thats not to say Cousins was the only one with a defensive deficiency last night. The Kings squad as a whole prevented little in their feeble attempt to derail the Warriors offense, especially that of rookie Klay Thompson, who accounted for 21 points alone at the half and ended the meeting with a career-high 31. With a score of 62 to 51 after 24 minutes, Sacramento knew they couldnt allow Golden State to put up the same number in the second half if they wanted to leave Oakland with the win. And with that in mind, the Kings refused to go down without a fight. After a quick timeout from Warriors head coach Mark Jackson in the beginning of the third quarter as the Kings pulled to within 6, one could sense a shift in momentum between the two teams. A hustle play by Isaiah Thomas to steal the ball away from two Golden State players on a rebound, then throw the ball to Demarcus Cousins in the paint for a layup and a foul, was just one play that showed the apparent increase in energy from the Kings. They took their time, but Sacramento gradually clawed their way back into the game by the end of the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 37-27 in the period, and they found themselves down 89 to 88 heading into the fourth. Recent addition Terrance Williams had his first appearance as a Sacramento King, and made a big difference on defense for Sacramento, blocking shots and hauling in rebounds. All of a sudden, the Kings had tied it at 102 with 4:06 left in the fourth. Back and forth the Kings and Warriors went. Once one team took the lead, the other would go right back down the court and do so themselves. The score ended up at 109-108, Warriors lead with mere seconds left in the game. The Kings had the ball following a five-second violation after the Warriors failed to inbound the ball late. Rookie Isaiah Thomas, who in his senior year with Washington shot a buzzer beater against Arizona to win the Pac-12 Championship and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament, had the ball in his

hands late last night with a chance to be the hero once again, and put the Kings back on top one final time. Though he ousted Arizona, it was not meant to be against the Warriors, as he lost the ball out of bounds shaking and baking outside the arc, surrendering the victory to Golden State. The Warriors got the ball back, and threw it down the court to an open Richard Jefferson who slammed down the ball and in effect, the win as well. A long three from the heavily guarded Tyreke Evans proved to be not quite enough, and Golden State prevailed by three, a final score of 111-108. Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors