The Golden State Warriors picked up a 137-131 OT win over the Dallas Mavericks to snap a three-game losing streak and improve their record to 34-38. The Mavericks led by as much as 15 points, but the Warriors fought back to earn this win, but were dealt a worse blow at the end.
Moses Moody led the Warriors in scoring with 23 points, returning to the lineup after missing the last 10 games with a finger injury. Moody suffered a non-contact left knee injury in OT on a fast-break, collapsing to the ground and being stretchered off the court. His status doesn’t look good, but he did give the fans a strong performance, which led to the win before leaving with 1:10 left in the game.
The Mavericks saw rookie sensation Cooper Flagg lead a strong effort with 32 points (12-19 FG), four rebounds, nine assists, and two steals. The Mavericks do seem committed to tanking, falling to a 23-49 record after this loss.
Let’s take a deeper look at the Warriors’ performances in this clash, with a strong and balanced team-effort beyond Moody’s game-leading performance.
Moses Moody: A
Game Stats: 23 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 8-20 FG, 4-11 3PT, 3-4 FT, 34 MIN
Moses Moody was looking excellent in his return to the court after missing the last 10 games with a finger injury, a stretch where the Warriors went 2-8. He was still regaining his rhythm as a scorer but led the Warriors in scoring with 23 points, impacting the game on all three levels. He was playing aggressively and making plays happen all game until the moment at the end where he likely suffered a season-ending knee injury, which led to the Warriors players not celebrating this comeback OT win.
Moody’s two-way impact was notable as he picked up three steals and managed two blocks, doing his best to stop a strong Mavericks offense led by Flagg. His best stretch of the game came in the third quarter, as the Warriors made a 10-point comeback to level the score heading into OT. Moody scored eight points (3-5 FG) in this stretch. This was his 11th 20-point game of the 2025-26 season and also might be his last for this year.
Moody is averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists this season.
Brandin Podziemski: A
Game Stats: 20 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO, 8-15 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, 40 MIN
Brandin Podziemski showed all his critics the kind of impact he can have with opportunity in this game against the Mavericks, putting in an all-around performance as the Warriors’ glue guy for the entire contest. He shouldered a heavy load until the final seconds of OT, contributing a total of 35 created points in this game, including his 20 scored and the six assists he dished out. He also led the Warriors in rebounding and played with pace for the entire contest.
Podziemski was right there alongside Moody in having an excellent third quarter to cut the Mavericks’ lead down and bring the Warriors into position to win. Podziemski also scored eight points (4-6 FG) in the third and posted a +11 plus/minus for just that quarter. Although his production trailed off considerably after that point, he was ever-present and made his impact felt on the defensive end as well.
Podziemski has averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists over the last 10 games and is averaging 12.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on the season.
Kristaps Porzingis: B+
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, 7-17 FG, 2-6 3PT, 6-7 FT, 29 MIN
This was another solid performance from Kristaps Porzingis as he moves on from the mysterious illness that’s impacted his playing time over the last three seasons. This was his eighth game for the Warriors, missing their last game against the Atlanta Hawks due to a back injury. He looked comfortable on the court but seemed to be held back by his minutes restriction, playing just six minutes in the fourth quarter and being benched for OT.
Porzingis led the Warriors in scoring in the third quarter with nine points (4-7 FG) in just seven minutes. He showed off his passing with five assists, with three leading to threes and one coming off an impressive outlet pass. While the Warriors didn’t need him in OT to secure this win, the team is inching closer to being able to deploy him for big minutes in the postseason.
Porzingis has averaged 15.8 points and 4.3 rebounds since joining the Warriors and 16.7 points and 4.8 rebounds on the season.
Gary Payton II: B+
Game Stats: 17 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 8-8 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-1 FT, 21 MIN
The defensive specialist, Gary Payton II, had a perfect shooting night from the field in the win against the Mavericks. He saw all eight of his field goal attempts go in and would’ve had a perfect night if he hadn’t missed the only free throw he took in this game. This was another strong outing for Payton, who has averaged 12.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18 games since February 5 and stepped up in the Warriors’ rotation as the team struggles with injury.
Payton II made his impact felt in the fourth quarter, making big plays on both ends en route to seven points in five minutes of action. The 33-year-old is averaging 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists this season.
Gui Santos: B+
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 5-10 FG, 0-5 3PT, 6-8 FT, 35 MIN
Gui Santos was a crucial member of the Warriors’ frontcourt in this game. The Brazilian forward played heavy minutes due to Porzingis’ minutes restriction and injuries to other options such as Al Horford and Quinten Post in the frontcourt. As a result, he posted a well-rounded statline showing his impact on all facets of the game. He struggled mightily at making a three-point shot, but had a positive impact on every other aspect of the game.
Santos came alive in the fourth quarter with eight points and three assists as he played eight minutes. He joined Moody, Payton II, and L.J. Cryer with a +7 on the night, the highest of the team. He’s averaging 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists this season.
Draymond Green: B
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 6 TO, 5-11 FG, 0-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, 38 MIN
The Warriors have consistently relied on 36-year-old Draymond Green to play heavy minutes this season, while most of the other veteran stars have struggled to stay on the court due to injuries. Green’s impact is usually a mixed bag, as it was tonight as well. All things considered, Green had a positive impact in organizing the Warriors’ offense and contributing as a scorer, although his sloppy playmaking was a big downside.
Green’s biggest impact on every game is just being there on the court as an extension of coach Kerr. He keeps the team organized on both ends, even if his personal production might lag. It’s hard to put a price on that, but it’s fair to say Green played a contributory role in helping the Warriors to this win. He’s averaging 8.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this season.
L.J Cryer: B
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 5-7 FG, 4-6 3PT, 18 MIN
L.J. Cryer has been a great find for the Warriors this season. The 24-year-old rookie is averaging 8.3 points in 12 games, seeing an uptick in appearances as the Warriors struggle with injuries across the rotation. The two-way player might come in handy going forward if Moody is injured for the foreseeable future, as his offensive skills seem to plug any gaps the Warriors have right now in multiple lineups.
Will Richard: B-
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL, 4-5 FG, 4-4 3PT, 12 MIN
Will Richard had a perfect shooting night from three, but played no minutes in the fourth quarter or overtime. The rookie is averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists this season.
De’Anthony Melton: C
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL, 7 TO, 0-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, 23 MIN
De’Anthony Melton had the worst scoring night he could imagine, going 0-6 on all field goal attempts and committing seven turnovers. He had a decent impact elsewhere and on the defensive end, but he rightfully lost his minutes and didn’t see the floor in OT. Melton is averaging 13.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists this season.
Pat Spencer: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 1 TOV, 1-2 FG, 12 MIN
Pat Spencer had cameo appearances in every quarter except the third and OT. He was a positive contributor, but didn’t have any meaningful impact on the game outside of filling out minutes. He’s averaging 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season.
