Christmas Day in San Francisco had a little bit of everything: star power, friendship turned foes, and some drama. Stephen Curry led the way with 23 points and buried a timely three in the final four minutes as the Golden State Warriors pulled away to defeat the Dallas Mavericks, 126-116.
The night also belonged to Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, who looked completely unfazed by the moment. Flagg poured in 27 points on an efficient 13-of-21 shooting line, adding six rebounds and five assists in a debut that hinted at a long future of holiday appearances. The last player to post at least 20-5-5 on Christmas Day? Pete Maravich.
Klay Thompson also made his return to Chase Center in a Mavericks uniform, drawing a warm ovation from the crowd and a lengthy embrace with Curry before tipoff. But Golden State weathered early shooting struggles, opening the game without a made three, before finding its rhythm behind Moses Moody and a surprise spark from Al Horford.
Horford, back after missing seven games with sciatica, drilled all four of his three-point attempts in the first quarter as the Warriors built early separation. De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski later added steady contributions off the bench to keep the Mavericks at arm’s length.
Draymond Green, starting amid recent tension with head coach Steve Kerr, battled foul trouble but remained engaged defensively as the Warriors leaned on depth and execution to close out the holiday win. Right into player ratings now.
Stephen Curry: A-
Game Stats: 23 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 3 TOV, 6-18 FG, 2-10 3-PT FG, 9-9 FT, 33 MIN
Curry’s shooting rhythm came and went, but his impact never disappeared. Even on a 2-for-10 night from deep, he kept pressure on the defense by attacking gaps, drawing fouls, and moving the ball quickly when help arrived. His perfect night at the free-throw line mattered in a game where Golden State steadily widened the margin. This wasn’t a vintage shooting performance, but it was a mature one – Curry dictated gravity even when the shots didn’t fall.
Jimmy Butler III: A-
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 9 REB, 9 AST, 1 STL, 4 TOV, 5-10 FG, 1-3 3-PT FG, 3-4 FT, 32 MIN
Butler was everywhere. He rebounded, facilitated, defended, and consistently made Dallas uncomfortable when trying to initiate offense. His scoring came within the flow, but his playmaking was the real separator. Nearly a triple-double on Christmas, Butler gave the Warriors structure when the game threatened to get loose.
Al Horford: A-
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 5-7 FG, 4-6 3-PT FG, 11 MIN
Horford’s stint was short but impactful. He stretched the floor, knocked down shots with confidence, and defended intelligently. His spacing opened lanes for others, and his veteran awareness showed immediately when he stepped on the floor.
De’Anthony Melton: A-
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 5-14 FG, 2-7 3-PT FG, 4-5 FT, 24 MIN
Melton’s impact showed up across the board. He attacked off the dribble, defended with intensity, and made big plays in transition. While his shooting was streaky, his pressure on both ends helped swing momentum during key stretches.
Brandin Podziemski: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 1 TOV, 4-8 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 4-4 FT, 28 MIN
Podziemski played with confidence and poise. He rebounded aggressively for his size, kept the ball moving, and picked his spots to score. His willingness to do the little things helped Golden State maintain control even when the pace slowed.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: B+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 5 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 5-6 FG, 13 MIN
Jackson-Davis made the most of every minute. He finished efficiently around the rim, protected the paint, and gave the Warriors a burst of physicality. His activity level stood out, especially against Dallas’ interior scoring threats.
Moses Moody: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 4-9 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 30 MIN
Moody delivered exactly what the Warriors needed from him. He knocked down timely shots, defended with discipline, and didn’t overextend his role. But his shooting was sorely needed to temper the Mavericks’ comeback attempts, and 12 points is nothing to sniff at.
Draymond Green: B
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 TOV, 2-7 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 28 MIN
Green’s night wasn’t flashy, but his fingerprints were all over the game. He directed the defense, communicated rotations, and anchored stretches where Dallas struggled to generate clean looks. Offensively, the shot wasn’t there, but he stayed aggressive. It was also a good time to say the beef between Green and Kerr seems to be over and done.
Gary Payton II: B
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3-5 FG, 15 MIN
Payton brought energy as he usually does, and it worked. He pushed the pace, created second chances, and consistently made the right play. His versatility allowed Golden State to stay aggressive defensively without losing any offensive production because he went 3-5 from the floor.
Quinten Post: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 3 REB, 1 STL, 3-9 FG, 0-4 3-PT FG, 14 MIN
Post struggled to find a rhythm offensively, particularly from the perimeter (0-4 from three), but he competed defensively and stayed engaged on the glass. He didn’t get a ton of minutes, but he did enough in terms of energy to earn a C+.
Will Richard: C+
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 2-6 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 13 MIN
Richard couldn’t hit his shots as efficiently as he would have liked, but he still scored a quick five points and grabbed two rebounds in 13 minutes. A standard C+ grade for him.
