SAN FRANCISCO — 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.

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.

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.

NOTES

RAPTORS: Las Vegas Aces Coach Becky Hammon did not comment directly on a report that the Toronto Raptors have received permission to interview her for their vacant head coaching position.

Hammon spoke at the newly opened Aces facility, the first of its kind in the WNBA and one that closely resembles an NBA club facility.

She chose not to comment on an ESPN report that the Raptors have inquired about her after firing Nick Nurse last week.

“Today is completely about how wonderful the Aces are, and I will keep all the focus (on them) because they deserve it,” Hammon said. “They earned it. This building has earned it. (Owner) Mark (Davis) has earned it. So I’m not commenting on anything about the boys. It’s all about the women.”

Hammon, who will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August, led the Aces to the WNBA championship last year in her first season at the helm.

She’s long been consider someone who might become the first female head coach in the NBA.

Hammon put in eight seasons as an assistant with San Antonio Spurs. Her highlights there included coaching the Spurs’ Summer League team to the 2015 championship and becoming the first woman to take the lead chair in an NBA game when Gregg Popovich was ejected during a December 2020 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

CAVALIERS: Coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s job is secure with the organization’s backing, despite a swift first-round exit from the NBA playoffs.

Making their first postseason appearance since LeBron James left five years ago, the Cavs were bounced in five games by the New York Knicks, who overpowered Cleveland to easily win the series.

Bickerstaff was criticized for strategy, along with his team seeming overwhelmed and pushed around by the Knicks. Cleveland’s early elimination, plus the team’s history of rash moves, triggered conjecture about a coaching switch.

However, after giving a somewhat tepid endorsement of Bickerstaff during an end-of-season news conference, President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman made it clear the Cavs are moving forward with their coach.

“End that speculation,” Altman said in a text message to AP. “He’s our head coach and we have a lot of support and respect for the job he’s done.”

ENDORSEMENT: Kevin Durant and Nike have agreed to a lifetime contract, making him just the third NBA player to receive such a deal, joining Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

The 13-time All-Star has a relationship with Nike that dates back to 2007, releasing 15 different sets of shoes. A 16th is coming soon.

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