Oct 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg (1) reacts after a basket during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg (1) reacts after a basket during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images
Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Golden State Warriors have been blatantly honest about where they think they stand in the Western Conference hierarchy. With an aging veteran core and a questionable supporting cast, they no longer believe they can contend with the likes of the Thunder and Spurs, and most experts are inclined to agree.
In games like the one tonight, however, it causes us to reflect on all preconceived notions about this team. While it’s only the exhibition phase, the Warriors showed encouraging signs of life in their 111-106 win over the Sacramento Kings, suggesting that they may be poised to exceed expectations. Shooting 48% as a team with 26 assists, their offense was humming in this showdown, showing us what it might look like at its peak. The best part? It came in limited minutes for the starters, a true flex of their depth.
Admittedly, beating the Kings in preseason isn’t the highest bar for success, but they played a respectable lineup that featured Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Darius Acuff Jr., and Ben Simmons. They offered consistent resistance defensively, making the Warriors earn their points. In the end, however, a balanced, cohesive effort from Golden State helped them close the game in the second half.
Looking back, you can’t give all the credit to just one or two Warriors players, but some certainly stood out more than others in this game, and it could ultimately decide how head coach Steve Kerr builds his rotation for the regular season.
Yaxel Lendeborg: A+
Game Stats: 23 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 10-14 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-2 FT, 24 MIN
Yaxel Lendeborg has been stealing the show in Golden State, and the hype has only risen after his latest performance. Not only did he finish with a double-double in the win, but he looked like a star while doing it, showcasing a promising, wide-ranging set of skills. Not only did he take on the full scoring load, but he maintained his defensive posture in the process, sealing what may be his best showing in a Warriors jersey to date.
Brandon Williams: A
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 7-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, 3-4 FT, 17 MIN
Efficiency was the name of the game for Brandon Williams in this one. He had the hot hand all night long, missing just one of the eight shots he attempted. Usually, anything more than nine points from Williams would be considered icing on the cake, but he’s showing us that he may have more to give than his current role demands.
Brandin Podziemski: A
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 4-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, 3-4 FT, 26 MIN
Brandin Podziemski has become a staple in Steve Kerr’s rotation, and it’s not hard to figure out why. Besides being a great perimeter scorer, he sets the tone for the Warriors with exceptional work ethic and a mature approach. Those qualities were present in the Celtics game today, as he took smart, calculated shots within the flow of the offense. The result was the type of stat line we’ve come to expect from the 6’4″ shooting guard.
Gui Santos: B+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 6-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 3-4 FT, 24 MIN
Gui Santos can become a key part of the rotation if he plays like he did tonight. He was aggressive all game and constantly looking to score, keeping the second unit fed with timely buckets. Beyond just the scoring, he was active on the glass and the passing lanes, making his impact felt in multiple ways.
Georges Niang: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 4-6 FG, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 19 MIN
Georges Niang played his role properly against Boston. While everyone knows his limits on the other end, nobody can doubt his schooting/scoring skills. They came in handy tonight as the Warriors enjoyed his consistent contributions off the bench. On all fronts, he looks like a perfect fit for this team, and it seems he has already developed some chemistry with his new teammates.
Stephen Curry: B-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 0 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, 14 MIN
Even at 38, Steph Curry is still considered one of the best, but he looked his age in this game. Even for the preseason, No. 30 was uncharacteristically quiet, only shooting four times. Still, he didn’t try to force anything, and his mere presence on the court opened up the floor for the rest of his teammates.
Draymond Green: C+
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-3 FT, 23 MIN
Draymond Green is one of the longest-tenured members of the team, and his value goes beyond just the stats. Against the Celtics today, he made his usual impact through leadership and defensive intensity, but he looked really limited when it came to scoring. Ultimately, for the Warriors to truly reach their goals, Green will need to be more involved, and he did the opposite of that, deferring too often to his teammates.
Charles Bassey: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-4 FT, 8 MIN
The Warriors are still mulling their backup center rotation, and Charles Bassey is firmly in the mix. His stats aren’t amazing, but they came in limited minutes, showing that he’s committed to doing whatever his team needs to win. Still, given that he only attempted one shot, it’s hard to rate him too highly over teammates who found other ways to contribute.
Will Richard: D+
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 1-5 FG, 1-4 3PT, 4-4 FT, 14 MIN
The Warriors aren’t planning a major role for Will Richard this season, and this game partially explains why. While the 23-year-old guard has shown some flashes here and there, he’s often described as streaky, meaning his game comes and goes from day to day. Today was clearly one of his bad days, and he’ll have to be better to earn big minutes during the season.
Gary Payton II: D
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 19 MIN
Gary Payton II is treasured by the Warriors for his leadership and chemistry in their locker room, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that he can’t play at the same level he once did. He barely even tried to score and was mostly invisible on the floor, but he did have some moments defensively where his natural instincts kicked in.
De’Anthony Melton: D-
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 0-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 18 MIN
With just 55 games played over the last two seasons, the Warriors will take anything they can get from De’Anthony Melton. Tonight, it just so happened to be nothing offensively, as he struggled to generate any kind of rhythm. In 18 minutes, he had plenty of opportunities, but he failed to make an impact aside from a few well-timed blocks.
Al Horford: F
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1-9 FG, 0-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 21 MIN
Al Horford will play a crucial role off the bench this season, and that’s why his 1-9 shooting performance is unacceptable. His usually smooth and fluid game looked off tonight, and it looks like he’s still learning how to fit in with this team. Fortunately, this preseason is the perfect setting for Horford to find his spark, and he’ll have a few more exhibition games to find his shot again.