Some nights don’t need much explaining. You watch the flow of the game, glance at the body language on the bench, and the story pretty much writes itself. This was one of those nights for the Golden State Warriors against the New York Knicks, ending 126-113 in their favor, mainly thanks to Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
What stood out most wasn’t just the scoring or the shooting runs, but how little panic there was on the floor. When New York tried to change the tempo, Golden State didn’t rush. When the Knicks made a push, the Warriors answered calmly and moved on. It was the kind of performance that doesn’t rely on chaos, just control, balance, and a few players who knew exactly when to take over.
Stephen Curry: A+
Game Stats: 27 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 10-17 FG, 4-9 3-PT FG, 3-3 FT, 34 MIN
Curry’s night felt more surgical than explosive. He didn’t need to dominate the ball or take over entire stretches to leave his mark. Instead, he controlled space, pulling defenders just far enough out of position to open things up for everyone else. When the Knicks tried to load up on him, he was already moving the ball somewhere smarter.
There’s a certain calm Curry brings when he plays like this. The offense breathes. Teammates stay engaged. Even when he wasn’t shooting, his presence dictated where defenders stood and how fast they could recover. It doesn’t always jump off the screen, but it quietly decides games.
Jimmy Butler: A+
Game Stats: 32 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 14-22 FG, 1-3 3-PT FG, 3-5 FT, 32 MIN
This is Butler in the most basic sense, not trying to do anything fancy or get away with anything, and he just continued to make strong decisions, sticking with them all game long. Butler took his opportunities when he felt it was to his advantage by picking on the smaller defenders, and he also never looked as though he was rushing through anything when the New York Knicks added multiple defenders on him. Everything on the court was working in Butler’s favor, and he capitalized on it.
What really separated his night wasn’t the scoring itself, but the way it came. Nothing felt forced. He didn’t hunt highlights or push tempo unnecessarily. He simply kept choosing the best option, over and over, until the defense cracked. That’s leadership without noise, and it set the tone early.
Moses Moody: A-
Game Stats: 21 PTS, 1 REB, 7-10 FG, 7-9 3-PT FG, 28 MIN
Moody’s confidence showed up immediately. No hesitation, no second-guessing, just quick decisions and clean releases. Every time the ball swung his way, it felt like the defense was already a step late. That kind of readiness doesn’t happen by accident; it comes from knowing your role and trusting your work.
What made his night especially valuable was how little he needed the ball. He didn’t drift or force shots to stay involved. He simply stayed ready, stayed spaced, and punished mistakes when they came. That’s how minutes turn into momentum.
Brandin Podziemski: A-
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 8-9 FG, 2-3 3-PT FG, 1-2 FT, 26 MIN
Podziemski was everywhere. He cut at the right times, finished efficiently, and made smart decisions with the ball. His +22 tells the story – the game tilted hard in Golden State’s favor during his minutes. This was confidence without recklessness, which is exactly what the Warriors need from him.
Al Horford: B
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 2-5 FG, 1-2 3-PT FG, 21 MIN
Horford brought stability off the bench. His passing helped unlock second-unit movement, and his positioning defensively erased a few possessions before they could develop. He didn’t look to score much, but his reads were sharp and his presence settled things when the game slowed.
Gary Payton II: C+
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 0-2 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 16 MIN
Payton didn’t score, but he still found ways to contribute. He flew around defensively, crashed the glass, and pushed the pace when opportunities opened up. His value came in disruption rather than production, not a headline night, but not empty minutes either.
Draymond Green: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1-4 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 3-3 FT, 27 MIN
This was one of those Draymond games that won’t live on highlight reels but absolutely matters when you rewatch the tape. He talked constantly, directed traffic, and cleaned up possessions before they became problems. Offensively, he stayed within the flow and resisted the urge to do too much.
His value came in the connective tissue of the game, the extra pass, the early rotation, the defensive read that shut something down before it started. You don’t always notice it in real time, but the Warriors certainly felt it.
Will Richard: C
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 15 MIN
Richard scored three points, going 1-1 from three, but couldn’t contribute anything else.
De’Anthony Melton: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 2-8 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 23 MIN
Melton’s shot didn’t fully cooperate, but his defense absolutely did. He was active in passing lanes, rotated quickly, and came up with a couple of momentum-stopping blocks. Even when the offense lagged, his effort kept him playable.
Quinten Post: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 2 REB, 2-9 FG, 1-6 3-PT FG, 12 MIN
Post never fully found his rhythm, particularly from the outside, and it showed. Still, he didn’t unravel. He kept spacing the floor, stayed engaged defensively, and avoided the kind of mistakes that can snowball quickly for young players.
There’s something to be said for surviving a rough stretch without letting it define your minutes. This wasn’t a breakthrough performance, but it also wasn’t a liability. Sometimes that’s part of the learning curve.
Gui Santos: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 5 MIN
Santos’ stint was short, but he did exactly what was asked. He stayed ready, knocked down his look, and didn’t try to stretch his role beyond the moment. Sometimes that’s all a team needs from those minutes.
Pat Spencer: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0-1 FG, 1 MIN
Too brief to evaluate.
