The Golden State Warriors put on a strong performance at home to secure a 120-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. With Stephen Curry leading the scoring charge with an emphatic 31-point performance, the Warriors appeared to be in complete control of the game.
Key contributions from role players such as De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford helped the Warriors prevent a losing slide. Although the team remains in eighth place in the West with a 20-18 record, roughly 2.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns in seventh, the Warriors remain solid.
The Dubs seemed a lot more assured compared to their previous display in the loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. With specific reference to Wednesday night’s win, we examine the performances of the 10 players on Golden State’s roster who made an appearance against the Bucks.
Stephen Curry – A+
Game Stats: 31 PTS, 7 REB, 7 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 12-21 FG, 3-9 3PT, 4-5 FT, 34 MIN
Stephen Curry was by far the most impressive player for the Golden State Warriors against the Milwaukee Bucks. Coming off a relatively underwhelming outing against the Clippers on Monday night, Curry came out firing against Milwaukee, helping his team secure a much-needed win.
The Warriors’ superstar was extremely effective on the offensive end. Despite having a rough night from beyond the arc, he remained efficient from the field. After exploding for 15 points in the third quarter, Curry helped extend Golden State’s lead to 16 points, ensuring the team closed out the third quarter strong and went into the final frame with a 12-point lead.
Stephen Curry remained the driving force for the Warriors on Wednesday night. With averages of 26.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists over his last 10 outings, the Dubs will hope to see Curry sustain this form moving forward.
De’Anthony Melton – A+
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 3 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 8-12 FG, 5-9 3PT, 1-2 FT, 25 MIN
Aside from Curry, De’Anthony Melton was the most valuable asset for the Warriors against the Milwaukee Bucks. Although the veteran guard has struggled with consistency this season, Melton showcased what he could bring to the table on Wednesday night.
Melton’s signing primarily served to bolster Golden State’s wing depth and shore up their defense. Still, the 27-year-old demonstrated that he had a lot more to offer. With some timely three-pointers, Melton ensured that the Warriors maintained their lead.
Although his overall impact waned by the end of the fourth quarter, his earlier contributions played a significant role in ensuring the Dubs remained in a comfortable position to win the game.
Jimmy Butler – A
Game Stats: 21 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 6-15 FG, 1-5 3PT, 8-9 FT, 32 MIN
Jimmy Butler remains one of the most consistent contributors for the Golden State Warriors. Despite struggling to get his offense going on Wednesday night, Butler’s relentless attempts at attacking the basket and his defensive pressure were vital in securing the win for Golden State.
Butler’s contributions don’t necessarily reflect on the stat sheet. Although his poor three-point shooting stands out, it is worth noting that the one shot from deep that he made came at a crucial juncture, ensuring the Warriors maintained a double-digit lead.
While effectively facilitating the Warriors’ offense by moving the ball around, the star forward created several scoring opportunities for the team. However, the Dubs may have preferred to see him play a more active role on offense during some stretches of the game.
Draymond Green – A
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 5-12 FG, 3-8 3PT, 1-2 FT, 29 MIN
Draymond Green may be criticized for his impulsive on-court antics, but his impact on the Warriors, especially on winning, is undeniable. Having played a major role as a facilitator and defensive anchor on Wednesday night, Green demonstrated his value for the team.
Green has never been a primary scoring threat. However, his timely three-point shooting kept Milwaukee’s perimeter defense honest. While acting as a playmaker in Golden State’s offensive sets, Green shone as he carved up the Bucks’ defense with his passing.
Defensively, Green was tasked with marking Giannis Antetokounmpo. His physical approach yielded several trips to the free-throw line for the Bucks superstar, but the message was clear: no easy points. Overall, this helped in limiting the rest of Milwaukee’s players from getting easy baskets.
Al Horford – B+
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, 19 MIN
Although Al Horford only logged eight points for the game, given that he only played 19 minutes, it could be argued that he was one of the Warriors’ most impactful players on Wednesday night.
Having appeared in short stretches, Horford established himself as a reliable presence on both ends of the court. His defensive contributions in the first half and timely three-point shooting proved immensely valuable in the overall context of the game.
Since recovering from injury, Horford has showcased his ability to be impactful. As a veteran with championship experience, the Warriors are bound to benefit from his availability.
Quinten Post – B
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 1 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 5-8 FG, 1-3 3PT, 19 MIN
Quinten Post remains a reliable starting center for the Golden State Warriors. With a solid performance against the Bucks, featuring some efficient scoring and playmaking, he remains a capable option for the Warriors.
Unfortunately, Post didn’t appear to be a high-impact player for Golden State on Wednesday night. The Warriors have enough reasons to be dissatisfied with his rebounding effort. When also considering the limited role he played on the defensive end, the Dubs may have reason to demand more from the big man apart from his floor spacing upside.
Moses Moody – C
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3-7 FG, 3-6 3PT, 28 MIN
Moses Moody has emerged as a key player in the Warriors’ rotation this season. Since carving out a role for himself in the starting lineup, Moody has also been one of the team’s best performers.
Unfortunately, Wednesday night proved to be a bit of a struggle for the young guard. Moody appeared passive in this game. Although he was impressive in the capacity of a perimeter threat and played his part as a wing defender, his impact on the game was negligible.
Brandin Podziemski – D
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, 22 MIN
Brandin Podziemski appears to be going through a bit of a slump. After two consecutive games of scoring in single digits, Podziemski seems to have hit a new low with his performance on Wednesday night.
Given his skills and potential, Wednesday night’s showing was nothing short of disappointing. Although the guard contributed with his rebounding and playmaking, his scoring production has visibly taken a hit. With virtually no impact in 22 minutes played, a rating of D seems appropriate.
Gui Santos – D
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, 18 MIN
Gui Santos attempted to make the most of the opportunity he received on Wednesday night, but it simply wasn’t impressive enough. Although his involvement on the defensive end and overall hustle were noteworthy aspects of his performance, Santos played a limited role against the Bucks. Despite his honest effort, he had little impact on the win.
Will Richard – D
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 13 MIN
Will Richard has been a key find for the Warriors in the 2025 NBA Draft. While the rookie has shown flashes of brilliance this season, the game against the Bucks was less than impressive.
Given that his minutes distribution was sporadic, Richard struggled to get into the flow of things. As he failed to attempt a shot against the Bucks, the rookie will hope to forget this outing and move on to the next game.
