THE Golden State Warriors held off the Sacramento Kings, 110-105, on Tuesday night (Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in PH) as Stephen Curry notched 17 points — highlighted by a pair of four-point plays — in his second game back from a right knee injury, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Curry, who missed 27 games before returning on Sunday, tied the game at 104 with a three-pointer at the 2:38 mark of the fourth quarter. He then set up Brandin Podziemski for a go-ahead triple on the next possession, helping Golden State snap a four-game losing streak.
De’Anthony Melton led the Warriors with 21 points, while Podziemski added 20.
Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud, a 7-foot-1 center, finished with 17 points and eight rebounds on his 23rd birthday. Killian Hayes contributed 18 points off the bench, but Sacramento lost for the sixth time in eight games.
Curry came off the bench for the second straight contest and shot 5-for-12 from the field. He converted two four-point plays late in the second quarter, helping the Warriors build a 60-44 lead at halftime.
He made an immediate impact upon entering at the 6:24 mark of the first quarter, assisting Charles Bassey on his first touch before recording a block on the defensive end moments later.
There is a possibility Curry returns to the starting lineup on Thursday (Friday, April 10, in PH) when the Warriors face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his season return on Sunday, Curry scored 29 points in a narrow 117-116 loss to Houston — his first game since Jan. 30 against Detroit.
Golden State is virtually locked into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference for next week’s play-in tournament.
Warriors rookie Will Richard was a late scratch due to a back injury, prompting Pat Spencer to join the starting lineup — the team’s 40th different starting unit this season.
Nets 96, Bucks 90
E.J. Liddell scored a career-high 21 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 96-90 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, according to AP.
Ben Saraf added 19 points, while Drake Powell and Malachi Smith chipped in 11 each for the Nets (20-59), who have now won two straight and three of their last five games.
AJ Green paced Milwaukee with 20 points as the Bucks fell to 31-48. Taurean Prince had 16 points, while Cormac Ryan and Jericho Sims added 14 and 12, respectively.
Five years after Milwaukee edged Brooklyn in Game 7 of a second-round playoff series en route to an NBA title, both teams are now out of playoff contention. Bucks coach Doc Rivers indicated before the game that he may not coach much longer.
Liddell scored 17 points in the first half, but he was the only Nets player in double figures before halftime when Brooklyn led 49-43.
Pelicans 156, Jazz 137
Jeremiah Fears set a Pelicans rookie scoring record with 40 points as New Orleans snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 156-137 rout of the Utah Jazz, the AP also reported.
Fears, the seventh overall pick in the draft, shot 17-for-29 from the field. Jordan Poole added 34 points, including 22 in the third quarter, when the Pelicans set a franchise record with 50 points in a single period.
New Orleans also set a franchise record for total points in a game despite missing several key starters, including Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Saddiq Bey.
Murphy (right ankle) and Murray (bruised left hand) were sidelined by injuries, while Williamson, Jones and Bey were available but did not play in the team’s final home game of another non-playoff season.
Elsewhere, Minnesota defeated Indiana 124-104, Chicago beat Washington 129-98, the Toronto Raptors routed the Miami Heat 121-95, Boston Celtics topped Charlotte Hornets 113-102, Oklahoma City dominated Los Angeles Lakers 123-87, Los Angeles Clippers beat Dallas Mavericks 116-103 and Houston won 119-105 at Phoenix. / LBG