Kings force Game 7 as De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk leads way over Warriors

Malik Monk scored 28 points, De’Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and the Sacramento Kings staved off elimination in their first-round playoff series by beating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Friday night in Game 6.

Now, a winner-takes-all Game 7 is back in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon.

Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points with four 3-pointers and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first playoff double-double, and the No. 3-seeded Kings withstood every scoring surge the defending champions made on their home court and shined in nearly every facet of this one with their special season on the line.

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Kevin Huerter, struggling with his shot all series — 20 of 52 coming into the game — hit a 3 with 6:23 to go and another with 4:58 left as Sacramento gave the state capital one more chance to Light the Beam.

Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson 22 and Kevon Looney pulled down 13 more rebounds to give him an NBA-leading 85 this postseason. He was coming off a career-high 22 rebounds in a Game 5 win at Golden 1 Center.

But the Kings, in the postseason for the first time since 2006, answered almost every big play by Golden State in the third quarter and capitalized on regular miscues. They outhustled the Warriors to the boards.

CELTICS' JAYSON TATUM APOLOGIZES TO JANET JACKSON FOR FORCING POSTPONEMENT OF CONCERT

The Kings led 90-80 heading into the final 12 minutes. Curry hit an early 3, only for Trey Lyles to connect moments later. When Curry drove for a layup the next possession, Monk made one of his own.

Curry's 3 with 9:28 left got Golden State within 99-89 before Fox hit.

Fox's first points came on a jumper with 2:18 left in the first on his first shot. He then scored again the next time down still dealing with a broken index finger on his shooting hand. He shot 10 for 18.

Sacramento snapped a six-game losing streak on the Warriors' home floor dating to a win on Feb. 25, 2020.

Lyles wound up with 12 points and 10 rebounds as others picked up the slack with Domantas Sabonis in foul trouble. The big man had seven points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 5:17 left.

Fox had been frustrated with his poor fourth quarter in Wednesday's 123-116 defeat in which he went 0 for 6 from the field and was scoreless — the most shots he had ever taken in a final period without scoring.

Draymond Green came off the bench for a third straight game and received a rousing standing ovation when checking in for the first time at the 6:26 mark of the opening quarter. He had 10 assists.

Both teams took a while to warm up, with Sacramento starting 6 for 23 and Golden State 6 of 19.

ANTHONY EDWARDS' ATTORNEY CALLS ASSAULT CHARGES ‘BASELESS’ AFTER GAME 5 CHAIR INCIDENT

PAYTON'S DEGREE

Golden State guard Gary Payton II surprised mother Monique with his college diploma in person Friday morning. Payton had promised her he would finish his degree at Oregon State, and he did so recently to complete a major in human development and family science.

TIP-INS

Kings: Sacramento's bench outscored the Warriors' reserves 52-21. ... The Kings were 4 of 16 to start from deep but finished 17 of 45. ... Sabonis suffered a cut under his left eye on a jump ball with Looney in the second quarter.

Warriors: Curry missed three free throws, practically unheard of, as his team went 25 of 35 from the line. ... The Warriors gave up 23 points on their 19 turnovers. ... Green picked up his third foul at the 7:09 mark of the second quarter. ... Golden State is 8-3 in Game 6s dating back to their 2015 title run and 22-11 in close-out games.

Minnesota recreational pot bill goes to conference committee, Gov. Walz pledges to sign

The Minnesota Senate voted Friday to legalize recreational marijuana for adults, but the bill requires more work and negotiations before it can become law.

The vote was 34-33, with all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no. There are several differences between the Senate bill and the companion version that passed the House 71-59 on Tuesday, so a House-Senate conference committee will need to resolve them before final votes in each chamber.

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has pledged to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. It seeks to replace the illicit market for marijuana with a legal and regulated market, and to expunge the criminal records of residents who’ve been convicted of nonviolent marijuana offenses such as simple possession.

MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS CONSIDER BILLS THAT WOULD LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

"The prohibition of cannabis is a failed system that has not achieved the desired goals and has had incredible costs for our communities, especially for communities of color," the lead author, Democratic Sen. Lindsey Port, of Burnsville, told her colleagues.

Port said lawmakers have an "opportunity to undo some of the harm that has been done and create a unique system of regulation that works for Minnesota consumers and businesses, while ensuring an opportunity in this new market for communities that have been most affected by prohibition."

DELAWARE HOUSE APPROVES LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

Republican senators argued during the debate that the bill isn’t ready to become law this year and needs more work. They expressed concerns about the impacts on traffic safety and crime, addiction and other mental health issues. They objected because local governments would be barred under the bill from disallowing cannabis sales if they don’t want them. And they said they weren’t reassured by the experiences of other states that have legalized it.

"We’re opening a door that is going to be very difficult to close, and it’s going to be very difficult to put the genie back on the bottle once this occurs," said Republican Sen. Warren Limmer, of Maple Grove, the lead Republican on the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.

Both versions of the bill run over 300 pages. Among the major differences, the Senate version allows people to possess up to 5 pounds of cannabis flower at home, though only 2 pounds could be from sources other than home-grown. The House limit is 1.5 pounds whatever the source. The tax rate on cannabis products in the Senate bill is 10%, compared to 8% in the House version.

Minnesota would become the 23rd state after Delaware to legalize adult-use cannabis. Marijuana would become legal to possess this summer, including home-growing up to eight plants at a time. But sponsors say it will take a year or more of regulatory work before dispensaries could start retail sales.

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