Kings eliminate Warriors from NBA playoff contention

MANILA, Philippines -- End of the road for the Golden State Warriors.

The Sacramento Kings showed the Warriors the door after a 118-94 drubbing Wednesday (Manila time) at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

Keegan Murray caught fire in the game, finishing with 32 points and nine rebounds. He made eight of his 13 shots from beyond the arc.

The game was close through the early minutes of the third quarter, with the Kings holding a one-point lead, 58-57, at the 10:12 mark of the frame with a hook shot by Andrew Wiggins.

Sacramento slowly pulled away thanks to the hot shooting of Keon Ellis and Murray.

After a pair of free throws by Steph Curry cut the lead to seven, 62-69, a quick 8-0 run by the Kings capped by a 3-pointer by De’Aaron Fox pushed the lead to 15, 77-62.

Golden State never recovered, as the lead grew to as much as 26 points, 118-92, with 56 seconds remaining after a dunk by Javale McGee.

Fox backstopped the Kings with 24 points, six assists and four rebounds. Harrison Barnes added 17 against his former team.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 22 points on 50% field goal shooting.

Jonathan Kuminga added 16, while Wiggins and Draymond Green had 12 markers each.

Klay Thompson went scoreless in 31 minutes of play. He missed all six of his 3-point attempts and all 10 of his field goals, but hauled down four rebounds and dished out an assist.

The Warriors’ early exit this season puts some uncertainty on their future, with Thompson being an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

The Kings will then battle it out with the New Orleans Pelicans, who lost earlier in the day against the Los Angeles Lakers, for the final seed of the Western Conference.

Pelicans star Zion Williamson is uncertain for the do-or-die game, as he is believed to have suffered a left hamstring injury against the Lakers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The winner will be playing the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.