The Golden State Warriors generated plenty of offense and moved the ball well throughout the night, but a few costly areas ultimately tilted the game in favor of the Utah Jazz.
Golden State struggled to convert from deep despite launching over 50 three-point attempts, and their inefficiency at the free-throw line only made things tougher in a tight contest. Utah took advantage of those openings, attacking the glass and capitalizing at the stripe with an outstanding 27-29 performance.
While several Warriors delivered strong individual outings, the Jazz controlled the flow of the game for long stretches and closed it out late to secure the 119-116 victory.
De’Anthony Melton: A-
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 7-16 FG, 3-6 3-PT FG, 5-5 FT, 20 MIN
Melton probably gave the Warriors their best stretch of basketball during the game. In just 20 minutes he managed to score 22 points, hit a few threes, and grab seven rebounds – which is impressive for a guard. What stood out most was his energy. He seemed to be involved in every loose ball or defensive play for a while.
Brandin Podziemski: B+
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 3 TOV, 5-10 FG, 4-6 3-PT FG, 0-4 FT, 35 MIN
Podziemski continues to do a little bit of everything. The four threes helped keep the Warriors within reach, and eight rebounds from a guard is always helpful. The frustrating part came at the free-throw line. Missing all four attempts in a three-point game is the kind of detail that sticks with players after the final buzzer.
Gui Santos: B+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 6-13 FG, 1-7 3-PT FG, 2-4 FT, 33 MIN
Santos looked comfortable attacking inside the arc and didn’t hesitate to mix it up on the glass. Eight rebounds and five assists from a wing is solid production, especially in a game where possessions were physical. The three-point shot wasn’t kind to him, 1-7 from deep is rough, but he didn’t force it after those misses. Instead, he kept driving and making plays in other areas.
Seth Curry: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB, 3 AST, 4-6 FG, 2-3 3-PT FG, 3-3 FT, 12 MIN
Curry’s minutes were short, but he made them count. A couple quick threes and some smart passing helped stabilize the offense for a bit when he checked in. It was a very efficient scoring burst, even if it didn’t last long.
Nate Williams: B+
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 5-8 FG, 1-3 3-PT FG, 1-1 FT, 13 MIN
Williams gave Golden State a nice boost in limited time. He didn’t overthink anything – if he had an open shot, he took it, and most of them went in. That decisiveness helped him finish with an efficient scoring line.
LJ Cryer: B+
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 4-9 FG, 3-8 3-PT FG, 17 MIN
Cryer clearly had the green light to shoot and wasn’t shy about it. Three made threes helped keep the floor spaced, and he also chipped in with a few rebounds along the way.
Gary Payton II: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB, 1 STL, 5-11 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 25 MIN
Payton played his usual scrappy style. He found a few baskets cutting toward the rim and kept applying pressure defensively. The three-point shot wasn’t particularly reliable, but his effort level was there throughout the night.
Draymond Green: B
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 11 AST, 2-7 FG, 1-5 3-PT FG, 1-2 FT, 32 MIN
Green basically ran the offense for long stretches, which isn’t unusual for him. The 11 assists tell the story: he spent most of the night setting up teammates rather than looking for his own shot. When he did shoot, the rhythm wasn’t really there, and a couple of the threes looked rushed. Still, the Warriors were generally organized offensively whenever the ball ran through him.
Quinten Post: C+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 5-13 FG, 0-6 3-PT FG, 25 MIN
This felt like a frustrating night for Post. The Warriors clearly wanted him spacing the floor, but every one of his three-point attempts came up empty. A couple of them looked good coming out of his hand too, which probably made it even more annoying. He still managed to get to double digits by working inside the arc, though the missed perimeter shots definitely limited his overall impact.
Pat Spencer: C
Game Stats: 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 0-4 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 13 MIN
Spencer’s shots just didn’t fall in this one. It happens. He still tried to contribute in other ways by rebounding and moving the ball, but offensively it never really got going for him.
Malevy Leons: C
Game Stats: 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 13 MIN
Leons really did not make much of an impact on offense, but he provided minutes defensively in a few bursts. With few touches and two shots in 13 minutes, he really did not have any time to find a rhythm on the court.
