What we saw in this game was very reminiscent of a traditional Golden State Warriors game. A barrage of 3-point shots throughout the game, ball movement was exceptional, and the Utah Jazz had no answer during the third quarter to what Golden State was doing to them.
Utah’s defeat against the Golden State was not just losing by a score of 16 points, but being outplayed so severely and having been outshot; at times, the final score didn’t appropriately show how one-sided the game was.
Out of the box, Golden State was already perceived as an offense that would scare most teams if they could sustain movement of the basketball and keep their spacing at a premium. Stephen Curry effectively set the tone early in the game by utilizing both his crazy and ultra-efficient style of basketball. Once Golden State’s other players started their scoring onslaught, Utah had no choice but to play a version of burnout, or tag.
So much production was given by the entire team that we should highlight each player in the Warriors’ lineup and their performance for today’s game.
Stephen Curry: A+
Game Stats: 27 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 5 TOV, 7-14 FG, 4-10 3PT, 9-10 FT, 28 MIN
This was vintage “in control” Steph. He never looked rushed, never looked like he had to force the show, he just nudged the game in Golden State’s direction possession by possession. A couple of those threes came right when Utah was flirting with momentum, and that’s the backbreaker he’s built a career on. The turnovers came from trying to keep the tempo high, but the overall command he had more than made up for it.
Moses Moody: A+
Game Stats: 26 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL, 9-15 FG, 5-9 3PT, 3-4 FT, 26 MIN
Moody exhibited a high degree of confidence in his shots, allowing him to believe that all his attempts would result in success. He displayed patience and did not pressure himself to possess the ball; rather, he continued to find space within the defense to get open for his next shot. Throughout the game, Utah lost track of Moody at key moments, and that gave him enough of an opening to take a shot.
Brandin Podziemski: A-
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 2-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, 6-6 FT, 28 MIN
Podziemski filled in all the gaps. He rebounded in traffic, pushed the pace, and kept the ball moving without overdribbling. The shot wasn’t his main weapon tonight, but his fingerprints were all over the game in the little moments that don’t always make highlights. That’s winning basketball.
Al Horford: A-
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 1 TOV, 4-5 FG, 1-2 3PT, 24 MIN
Horford looked like the calm adult in a gym full of chaos. He caught the ball, surveyed, and made the right read over and over again. A couple of his passes led directly to wide-open threes, and defensively, he was always in the right place a beat early. Nothing flashy – just really smart basketball.
Gui Santos: A-
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TOV, 6-7 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-3 FT, 22 MIN
Santos was everywhere in his minutes. He cut hard, finished strong, and made quick reads when the ball swung his way. Defensively, he played with active hands and real effort. This was high-impact basketball in a limited window.
De’Anthony Melton: B+
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 3 TOV, 3-8 FG, 2-5 3PT, 4-5 FT, 23 MIN
Melton played like he had a personal issue with Utah’s ball-handlers. He was reaching in, jumping lanes, and turning loose dribbles into fast-break chances. The offense came and went, but his defensive pressure tilted possessions and helped the Warriors keep control when the pace got sloppy.
Draymond Green: B
Game Stats: 2 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TOV, 0-6 FG, 0-6 3PT, 23 MIN
Yes, the shooting line is rough. No, it didn’t really hurt them. Draymond spent most of his night barking out coverages, blowing up actions, and putting teammates in the right spots offensively. He basically ran the game without ever scoring in it, which is a very Draymond way to leave his mark.
Buddy Hield: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 1 TOV, 5-8 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 17 MIN
Hield’s job description is simple: run hard and let it fly. He did exactly that. The Jazz had to stay glued to him, which opened up space for everyone else, and when he got daylight he didn’t hesitate. A couple of nice extra passes showed he wasn’t locked into pure gunner mode either.
Quinten Post: B
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 4-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 17 MIN
Post gave the Warriors solid interior minutes while still stretching the floor. He battled on the glass and showed soft touch on pick-and-pop looks. Nothing flashy, just dependable production.
Will Richard: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 2 TOV, 5-8 FG, 3-6 3PT, 20 MIN
Richard provided the bench with a two-way boost. He shot the ball with confidence, distributed the ball, and had several defensive possessions that changed the course of the game.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 2 TOV, 1-1 FG, 4 MIN
Short stint, limited chances. He finished his look at the rim but had a couple of quick mistakes. Not enough time to fully settle in.
Malevy Leons: N/A
Game Stats: 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4 MIN
Only four minutes on the court with a missed three-pointer. Hard to remember his stint on the floor.
Pat Spencer: N/A
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 1 REB, 1-2 FT, 4 MIN
Spencer rushed, smashed the glass, and got a free throw. End-of-rotation energy minutes.
