(Sports Network) – The Golden State Warriors will finish up a five-game homestand Friday by welcoming Pacific Division rival Sacramento to Oakland. The Warriors improved to 3-1 on their current residency Wednesday when Monta Ellis hit a jumper with just 0.6 seconds left as Golden State took a 110-108 win over the Indiana Pacers. Golden State, which is in the midst of a stretch of 13 of 14 games at Oracle Arena, is now a solid 12-7 on its home floor this season.
Ellis, the NBA’s third-leading scorer at 25.9 points per game, had a game-high 36 points with six assists and five rebounds, and David Lee added 21 points and nine boards for the Warriors, who have won three in a row for the second time this season. Dorell Wright added 21 points.
“He is letting his game speak for itself,” Golden State coach Keith Smart said of Ellis “Having talked to a lot of coaches, they have noticed how well he is playing.”
The Kings, meanwhile, lost their third straight game on Wednesday when Andre Miller made the go-ahead jumper with 1:49 left in overtime, as the Portland Trail Blazers rallied past Sacramento, 94-90, in California’s capital. Beno Udrih finished with 20 points and five boards for the Kings, who have dropped six of seven overall. Tyreke Evans tallied 16 points and eight assists while Samuel Dalembert had a season-high 15 points and 12 rebounds in defeat.
“That game was certainly a game that we had,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said. “It left a scar. I think we are playing better basketball but we have been having a tough time closing games.”
Sacramento has dropped three in a row and seven of its past eight trips to Oakland, and has lost 14 of its past 15 games on the road in 2010-11. The Warriors defeated the Kings, 117-109, in overtime on Dec. 21 this season from Arco Arena.