Golden State not only won this one, but they controlled it with the type of veteran blowout experience that makes this type of performance look routine. From the start, the Warriors set the pace, and they never gave the Timberwolves the chance to think this would be their night. Every time Minnesota pushed, the calm response was usually from a familiar No. 30, Stephen Curry.
Golden State was confident and won the night. But Stephen Curry’s scoring was the lead. This was not a one-man band. The Warriors were excellent at defending passing ways, shared the rock, and played excellent defense with timely scoring from their entire roster. This was a balanced performance that coaches love to watch during practice and film review. It was not flashy, but it was excellent, and they were relentless, which gave the Wolves their 5th straight loss.
Stephen Curry: A
Game Stats: 26 PTS, 2 REB, 7 AST, 4 STL, 2 TOV, 7-18 FG, 3-10 3-PT FG, 9-9 FT, 28 MIN
Curry picked his spots beautifully, never forcing the issue but still ending up as the game’s most dangerous scorer. His three-point shot didn’t fall at a crazy clip, but he bent the defense so much that everything else opened up. Add in the playmaking and active hands-on defense, and this felt like a classic “control the game without looking rushed” performance.
Moses Moody: A-
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1 TOV, 7-15 FG, 5-9 3-PT FG, 28 MIN
Moody, on the other hand, played with the confidence of a scorer, riding into threes and sprinting into the lane without fear. His rebounding from the wing was a nice touch, too, cleaning up misses and extending the clock when Minnesota was ready to get a stop. On defense, he remained patient and used his length. It seemed like one of those growth games where the production was nice, and everything else was good, too.
Brandin Podziemski: A-
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL, 2 TOV, 6-10 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 22 MIN
Podziemski stuffed the stat sheet in a way that perfectly fits his game. He rebounded like a forward, made tight passes, and timed his steals well. His energy was contagious and elevated the team’s overall defensive intensity. He may not had a big scoring game, but he impacted every stretch he played. Coaches love this kind of glue performance.
De’Anthony Melton: B-
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 3 TOV, 4-13 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 3-3 FT, 21 MIN
Melton’s night was a bit of a roller coaster shooting-wise, but his defensive pressure and playmaking helped balance that out. He stayed aggressive and didn’t let misses take him out of the flow.
Will Richard: B-
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 3 STL, 1 TOV, 4-9 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 24 MIN
Richard gave the Warriors a nice lift with his defensive activity, jumping into passing lanes and staying alert off the ball. Offensively, he played within the flow and knocked down shots when the defense gave him daylight. For a role player in limited minutes, that’s exactly the formula Golden State hopes for – defend hard, move the ball, and take the open ones with confidence.
Draymond Green: C+
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 TOV, 1-5 FG, 0-3 3-PT FG, 23 MIN
While Green completed the game with a few more shots than the last time, he definitely brought the tempo with him. He was the defensive anchor, predicting plays, and streamlining the defense to easy fast break opportunities. The steals were classic Draymond: quick hands, quicker reads. He was still the pass-first player he always was, and quickly distributed the ball to keep the offense moving. He did not overcomplicate things, but it was the facilitation that kept the tempo of the game in stride for the Warriors.
Al Horford: C+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4-7 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 23 MIN
Horford gave the Warriors solid, reliable, veteran minutes. He spaced the floor enough to avoid clogging the lane and quietly knocked down a couple of shots that Minnesota gave him. On defense, he used his positioning more than his speed. He steered drivers to help and finished the possession with a rebound. He didn’t do too much, and that’s why his minutes were effective. He played calm, steady, and made no mistakes.
Buddy Hield: C+
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 2 REB, 1 TOV, 2-5 FG, 0-3 3-PT FG, 17 MIN
Hield couldn’t quite find his scoring rhythm, but his presence still bent the defense. Minnesota stayed attached to him around the arc, and that alone created space for others to work. He had a couple of good looks that just rimmed out.
Quinten Post: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 1-5 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 16 MIN
Post had an up-and-down shooting night, but he stayed involved in other ways. He competed on the boards and didn’t shy away from physical play inside. Even when the jumper wasn’t falling, he kept spacing the floor and trusted the next shot.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: N/A
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1-2 FT, 3 MIN
Limited minutes meant limited impact, but he stayed active around the rim and made his presence felt defensively in short bursts.
Gui Santos: N/A
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1-2 FT, 3 MIN
Santos brought good energy off the bench, attacking the glass and moving without the ball. He didn’t dominate any one area, but he filled gaps and kept possessions alive, which is gold for a second unit.
Gary Payton II: N/A
Game Stats: 1 REB, 1 AST, 9 MIN
Payton’s role was mostly defensive energy in brief minutes. He didn’t fill the box score, but he stayed disruptive and physical when called upon.
L.J. Cryer: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3-PT FG, 3 MIN
Limited minutes, but he made them count with confident shot selection and good floor spacing. He looked comfortable letting it fly when the ball swung his way, which is exactly what you want from a reserve guard.
Still finding his NBA rhythm, but flashes were there.
Pat Spencer: N/A
Game Stats: 1 REB, 1 STL, 3 MIN
Spencer had a blink-and-you-miss-it stint, but he stayed active defensively and moved the ball quickly. No wasted motion, no forcing anything.
Just solid, low-maintenance minutes in a game that was already under control.
