This one never felt comfortable, and honestly, it probably shouldn’t have. Golden State had stretches where they looked in control, but the Warriors trusted when it mattered en route to a much-needed 119-116 victory against the Suns.
No doubt, Phoenix kept pushing, Draymond Green didn’t last long, and the crowd got loud. Not to mention, the final minute took forever. And yet, when the noise peaked, the ball ended up in the same hands every time: Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. That’s where the result ended up going.
After a three-game losing streak gets snapped, let’s dive into the player ratings for every Warrior who hit the court.
Stephen Curry: A
Game Stats: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 9-19 FG, 4-11 3PT FG, 6-7 FT, 35 minutes
This was one of those nights where Curry didn’t force anything early and then quietly took over later. He read the floor, let the game come to him, and waited for Phoenix to make mistakes. Once it tightened up, he stopped deferring. The confidence at the line late felt automatic. You could see it in his body language, he knew exactly how this was ending.
Jimmy Butler: A-
Game Stats: 25 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 10-21 FG, 2-6 3PT FG, 3-3 FT, 35 minutes
Butler brought a different kind of edge – physical, patient, and deliberate. He hunted favorable matchups, absorbed contact, and made timely plays when Golden State needed stability. His late bucket after Phoenix pulled close was the kind of response coaches trust, and his calm demeanor helped balance the emotional swings of the game.
Buddy Hield: B+
Game Stats: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 6-7 FG, 4-4 3PT FG, 4-4 FT, 19 minutes
Hield was instant offense. Every shot he took felt clean, and his four perfect makes from deep provided a massive lift when Golden State needed spacing. In under 20 minutes, he delivered one of the most efficient performances of the night.
Gary Payton II: B
Game Stats: 5 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT FG, 19 minutes
Payton’s value showed up in all the areas that don’t always headline box scores. He defended multiple positions, crashed the boards aggressively, and kept Phoenix uncomfortable with his activity. The shot didn’t fall consistently, but his impact was felt.
Brandin Podziemski: B
Game Stats: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 4-11 FG, 2-8 3PT FG, 30 minutes
Podziemski was aggressive and confident, sometimes to a fault. He pushed the pace, created shots for others, and stayed involved offensively throughout. The turnovers were the downside, but his willingness to attack helped keep Phoenix from loading up on Curry.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: C+
Game Stats: 5 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2-2 FG, 1-3 FT, 17 minutes
Jackson-Davis brought real energy off the bench. He attacked the glass, challenged shots, and played like someone trying to earn every second on the floor. His presence inside gave the Warriors some needed physicality after Green exited.
Quinten Post: C+
Game Stats: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3-8 FG, 1-6 3PT FG, 26 minutes
Post quietly gave the Warriors solid minutes, even if the outside shot didn’t fall consistently. He stayed engaged defensively, moved the ball when needed, and avoided being a liability against Phoenix’s guards. His plus-minus reflected how well Golden State played during his stretches.
Moses Moody: C+
Game Stats: 3 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1-4 FG, 1-3 3PT FG, 18 minutes
Moody didn’t get many looks, but he made himself useful elsewhere. He moved the ball, stayed disciplined defensively, and didn’t force shots when the offense was flowing through Curry and Butler. A quiet night, but not an empty one.
De’Anthony Melton: C
Game Stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 0-5 FG, 0-4 3PT FG, 16 minutes
It wasn’t a smooth night for Melton, especially offensively, but he stayed engaged. He kept moving, stayed active defensively, and didn’t let missed looks snowball into mistakes. Not pretty, but professional.
Pat Spencer: C
Game Stats: 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1-4 FG, 1-2 3PT FG, 10 minutes
Spencer played within himself, knocked down an open three, and didn’t commit mistakes. In a game with plenty of chaos, his calm minutes helped stabilize the rotation.
Draymond Green: N/A
Game Stats: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2-2 FG, 8 minutes
Draymond Green couldn’t get enough time on the court because he had an ejection too early into the game. Green lost his temper, as he often does, and that led to a quick depart from an intense matchup against the Suns. In eight minutes, Draymond still added at least a stat in all the major categories so that’s something I guess.
Gui Santos: N/A
Game Stats: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 2-3 FG, 1-2 3PT FG, 7 minutes
Santos came in ready, even if he only played seven minutes. He scored a quick five points, grabbed three rebounds, and even came up with two steals. The Brazilian didn’t make a large enough impact to earn more minutes, so an N/A is warranted.
