It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing for the Golden State Warriors as they approach the halfway mark of the season. They've dealt with injuries, age, inconsistency, trade rumors– almost everything under the sun an NBA team can experience.
But with the 132-125 New Year's Eve win over the Charlotte Hornets, the Dubs will head into 2026 with an 18-16 record and five wins in their last six games.
Stephen Curry finished with 26 points on 5-of-10 from beyond the arc in his homecoming affair. Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski added 19 points each, and the Dubs got a season-high 61 points off the bench. It was the Warriors' fifth game in a row with at least 120 points, a sign that the offense has found a rhythm as of late after an ugly start to the season.
“Our offense has dramatically improved. We're scoring at a much higher clip now,” coach Steve Kerr said post-game. “It just feels like we've got a better rhythm. Obviously, playing a lot of people, I have a lot of options every night. It's not easy to decide who to play, but I feel comfortable playing all of them. Our depth is helping us right now.”
Along with Podziemski off the bench, the Warriors' depth came in the form of Gui Santos, De'Anthony Melton, and Will Richard. In 17 minutes, Santos finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds on a +15 plus/minus, providing a lot of energy crashing the boards and playing off the stars.
And for the second game in a row, Kerr opted to close with Melton and Richard alongside the Curry-Butler-Green core. From the 3:45 mark in the fourth til the end of the game, that unit outscored the Hornets 14-7 to secure the win.
Golden State's offense is coming together
de'anthony melton warriors
Inconsistency has been the name of the game for the Warriors' offense this season. Before this 5-1 stretch, the Warriors ranked 22nd in offensive rating (112.8), which was Kerr's biggest cause of concern.
But over the last six games, the Warriors rank 5th in the league in offensive rating (121.0), behind only the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics in that stretch. And they've faced quality defenses in that stretch. The Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and Orlando Magic rank seventh, ninth, 10th, and 11th in the league in defensive rating.
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One of the reasons why the Golden State offense has found some juice over the last couple of games is that the rotation has finally solidified a bit. Kerr has committed to the same starting lineup over the last seven games (5-2 in that stretch), and down the line, it has simplified everybody's minutes and roles.
“It helps when guys know who they're out there playing with and can develop a chemistry and a rhythm,” Curry said after their Christmas Day win. “Especially offensively. Because it does change depending on who you're out there with.”
And of those guys, developing a chemistry and rhythm with the team is Melton, who missed the early part of the season rehabbing from ACL surgery. The veteran guard, whom the Warriors traded last season after he tore that ACL, has been one of their most additive players since returning.
Per Cleaning the Glass, the Warriors score 14.9 more points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor, which leads the team and ranks in the 99th percentile in the NBA. He leads the team with a +16.1 efficiency differential (team points scored minus team points allowed per 100 possessions). Melton has become the Dubs' key bench guy whom Kerr trusts to close with.
Up next for the Dubs
The Warriors will return home to face the OKC Thunder, which will kick off 10 of their next 11 games at home. Golden State has already played 20 of its 41 road games this season, which bodes well for a team looking to gain some ground in the West.
Other notables
Draymond Green finished with 10 points and 12 assists, his 160th career double-double and first of the season. A 3-to-1 assist/turnover ratio for Green.
It was Jonathan Kuminga's ninth DNP in the Warriors' last 10 games. Kuminga's trade restriction expires on January 15th.
This was the Warriors' first game without former assistant coach Chris DeMarco, as he officially begins his duties as the head coach of the New York Liberty. DeMarco was Kerr's longest tenured assistant.
The Dubs' 24 made 3-pointers tied their season-high.