Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Kings equal impressive franchise mark, blow out Warriors to force Game 7

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 4/29/23

Facing elimination on Friday, the Sacramento Kings came up big when it mattered most, knocking off the Golden State Warriors, 118-99, to force a Game 7 in their best-of-seven first-round series.

Sacramento's 19-point victory equaled a franchise record set by the then-Rochester Royals in 1951 for the largest margin of victory in an elimination game, per ESPN Stats and Info.

De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk led the way in Game 6 for the Kings, combining for 54 of Sacramento's 118 points.

Monk finished with a team-high 28 points off the bench, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc while adding seven rebounds and four assists.

28 points on 14 shots.

Malik Monk was SPECIAL off the bench to force GAME 7!

Sunday at 3:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/xmPrQ4vntC
— NBA (@NBA) April 29, 2023

Meanwhile, Fox ended the night with 26, shooting 10-of-18 from the floor and 2-of-5 from three, with 11 assists. According to ESPN, Fox joined Oscar Robertson as the only player in the franchise's history to post 20-plus-point efforts in his first six career postseason games.

Season on the line.
De’Aaron Fox delivers.

The #KiaClutch winner puts up 26 points and 11 assists to force GAME 7! pic.twitter.com/Q1eBa24zHL
— NBA (@NBA) April 29, 2023

The Kings' 25-year-old star has been critical to the team's success against the Warriors, averaging 29.3 points during the series.

Despite trailing the Warriors, 25-23, after one quarter, the Kings took the lead before halftime and never looked back. After the Kings' massive win, Fox told reporters it was "the best game we've played this year."

"I feel like we were in control, basically the entire game tonight," Fox said, via the NBA.

The Kings franchise will host a Game 7 for only the third time in its history, joining the 1951 Royals and the 2002 Kings.

Game 7 tips off in Sacramento Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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