This one slipped away, and the Warriors knew it the moment it ended.
Golden State had chances all night against Phoenix, chances to put the game away, chances to breathe late. Instead, they walked off the floor with a 99-98 loss that felt heavier than the score suggested. One missed rebound. One late foul. One more reminder that close games punish mistakes without mercy.
Stephen Curry never found his usual flow, and on a night when the Warriors needed him to steady things, the shots just didn’t fall. Phoenix didn’t overwhelm Golden State with firepower or pace. They hung around, stayed close, and waited. When the moment finally came, Jordan Goodwin made the hustle play that decided it, and the Suns escaped with a win they probably shouldn’t have had.
For the Warriors, this wasn’t about effort. It was about execution – protecting the ball, finishing possessions, and closing a game that had been theirs for long stretches. Those details are what separated relief from frustration Thursday night, and they’re exactly why this loss is going to sting.
Jimmy Butler III: A-
Game Stats: 31 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 11-17 FG, 1-1 3PT, 8-9 FT, 34 MIN
Jimmy Butler was the Warriors’ backbone. He attacked mismatches, lived in the midrange, and carried Golden State offensively whenever the game threatened to slip away. His shot selection was clean, his pace was controlled, and he was fearless down the stretch. Without Butler’s scoring, this game isn’t close. The only reason this isn’t an “A” is because Golden State needed one more late bucket — and it never came.
Brandin Podziemski: B+
Game Stats: 18 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 8-11 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 28 MIN
Brandin Podziemski was a bright spot. He played with confidence, attacked closeouts, and made quick decisions with the ball. Nothing felt forced. He picked his spots, finished efficiently, and helped stabilize lineups that were wobbling offensively. The plus-minus reflects it – the Warriors simply looked sharper with him on the floor.
Stephen Curry: C+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3-13 FG, 2-9 3PT, 7-7 FT, 33 MIN
This was one of those nights where Curry kept searching and never quite found it. The looks were there, some clean, some rushed, but the ball just didn’t cooperate. Phoenix stayed attached to him, bumped him off his spots, and forced him to work for everything. He competed, made the right reads, and knocked down pressure free throws late, but by his standards, this was a frustrating outing. When the Warriors needed one trademark flurry, it never arrived.
Draymond Green: C
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 3-9 FG, 1-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 30 MIN
Draymond Green’s impact was uneven. Defensively, he was vocal and active, blowing up actions and helping at the rim. Offensively, it was another story. The shot never came around, and several turnovers turned into Suns points the other way. His energy was there, but the execution wasn’t, and in a game this tight, the margin for those mistakes disappeared quickly.
Moses Moody: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2-10 FG, 1-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 30 MIN
Moody did the little things, rebounding, rotating, staying engaged defensively, but the offense lagged behind. He had chances to punish Phoenix for helping off him, and those shots didn’t fall. On nights when Curry struggles, Golden State needs secondary scoring to show up. Moody wasn’t able to provide it.
Quinten Post: C
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 11 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3-14 FG, 2-10 3PT, 1-2 FT, 27 MIN
Post did some useful work on the glass, but the shooting hurt. Phoenix was content letting him fire from deep, and the misses piled up. To his credit, he kept battling inside and didn’t shy away from contact, but Golden State needed him to convert at least a few of those open looks to keep the floor spaced. It just never happened.
Jonathan Kuminga: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1-5 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 10 MIN
Kuminga never found a foothold. His minutes were quiet, and he struggled to assert himself offensively or defensively. With the game tightening, he drifted out of the rotation, and by the fourth quarter, Golden State clearly didn’t feel comfortable going back to him.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 7 MIN
Jackson-Davis brought effort in limited time. He rebounded, moved the ball, and did his job without making mistakes. That said, his role was small, and his impact matched the minutes. Neutral, but not negative.
