A win is a win is a win. And we celebrate those here at Golden State of Mind. So it’s with happiness that I write about the Golden State Warriors beating the Brooklyn Nets 121-119, even though it was a closer game than you were expecting or hoping for. The Warriors overcame an initial 12 minutes that were arguably their worst quarter of the year, falling behind by 22 points. But overcome it they did.
And a win is a win is a win.
But we must grade the players who got it done in unconventional style. As always, grades are based on my expectations of each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 57.5%.
Moses Moody
29 minutes, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-for-7 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, 71.4% TS, +4
It was a slightly quiet game for Moody, but it was a strong game nonetheless. He didn’t get as many minutes down the stretch as he usually does, but that was more a result of how well some other players were playing. His shots were timely and his defense was solid.
Grade: B+
Jimmy Butler III
35 minutes, 25 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 7-for-13 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, 10-for-10 free throws, 71.8% TS, +17
How do you put into words how much Butler has transformed the Warriors? Looking at their 10-1 record in games he plays is probably a good place to start. Considering how they went from the worst free throw team in the NBA to the best upon his arrival is also a good place to start.
But this stat from Thursday’s game is another good place to look.
Steph Curry was -16 tonight in a Warriors win. That's tied for the lowest plus/minus he's ever had in a win ... with the other time being an 11-minute stint in his 30th career game. The difference this time? He was fantastic, with a wildly-efficient 40 points. The Jimmy Butler III effect is real.
— Brady Klopfer (@bradyklopfer.bsky.social) 2025-03-07T04:01:54.269Z
We’ll have to wait and see how it looks against elite teams, but right now Butler goes into a mode late against opponents, bullying them and making it clear that he’s in control. You can almost see him crush their spirit and, perversely, enjoy it.
This is a player who can carry the team to victory. Feels nice to have two of those guys.
Grade: A
***Post-game bonus:***Best plus/minus on the team.
Draymond Green
34 minutes, 7 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, 2-for-5 shooting, 3-for-3 free throws, 55.4% TS, -7
An absolutely brutal first quarter for Green, who had some awful turnovers and was simultaneously playing out of control and lethargically. But he turned it on in a huge way, especially in the second half. He and Butler were so dominant to start the fourth quarter that there were times I forgot that Steph Curry wasn’t in the game.
The three turnovers and five fouls won’t work against better teams, but hey ... these things happen at the end of long road trips.
Grade: B
***Post-game bonus:***Led the team in assists.
Brandin Podziemski
44 seconds, 0 points, -1
Podziemski left the game in the first minute after experiencing pain in his back, and he didn’t return. Thankfully Steve Kerr didn’t sound concerned after the game so it looks like it should be a day-to-day thing.
Grade: Please be OK
Steph Curry
36 minutes, 40 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 turnovers, 3 fouls, 12-for-20 shooting, 7-for-13 threes, 9-for-9 free throws, 83.5% TS, -16
The Butler stat I posed above isn’t an indictment of Curry, who was phenomenal. It’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes. The Warriors were beyond dreadful in the first quarter, and Kerr adjusted his game plan to keep Curry on the court the entire time, in hopes of keeping Golden State within arm’s reach. It’s easy to say it didn’t work, but who knows? The Warriors trailed by 20 points after the first quarter, and maybe that would have been 30 points if Curry had continued with his usual rest pattern.
And then Steph brought the Dubs back from the grave. His buzzer-beater to end the half was one of the best shots of his career, and one of the most arrogant basketball shots I’ve seen in my life. It was the kind of shot that sends a message to not just the other team, but the entire arena that you are, quite simply, better than your opponent. And that the result of the game is inevitable.
He was an absolute highlight reel in the second half, both scoring and passing. He would have had at least 45 points and probably a few fewer turnovers if the refs remembered that this wasn’t a football game, too.
Grade: A
***Post-game bonus:***Led the team in points, worst plus/minus on the team.
Buddy Hield
23 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 0-for-8 shooting, 0-for-5 threes, 0.0% TS, -11
I thought I knew what the word streaky meant, and then Hield joined the Warriors. My goodness, this sure is something, isn’t it??
I suppose Hield could have had a worse game. He wasn’t a turnover machine and he didn’t foul anybody. But he couldn’t buy a bucket if they were being given away for free, and his shot selection played a role in tnhat.
Grade: D-
Gary Payton II
21 minutes, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 7-for-12 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 62.1% TS, -15
Masked Payton! After a one-game absence due to a nasal fracture, Payton returned to the court and played huge minutes in Podziemski’s surprise absence. Perhaps some superpowers were unlocked with the mask, because he was absolutely dynamic on both ends of the court.
Grade: A
Gui Santos
24 minutes, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 61.5% TS, +12
I didn’t see this game coming from Santos, because it started out rough. With the Warriors flailing in the first quarter, Santos came in for an energy boost. He made a few mistakes, the Warriors were outscored by seven points, and he was pulled at the next timeout after about 40 seconds of action. It felt like one of those games where maybe the coaching staff decides to send a message.
But then Santos was out in the second quarter, and part of the team’s biggest run, which he had his fingerprints all over. And he was starting the second half, in the middle of their run to take the lead, which he had his fingerprints all over. And he was there in the fourth quarter as they stretched the lead with Curry on the bench, and he was there in the closing lineup. Almost all of the good moments in the game happened with Santos on the court. The stats (other than the plus/minus) don’t really reflect that, but he was a difference maker.
Grade: A-
Kevon Looney
12 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 3 fouls, 1-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 43.4% TS, +5
Not the most dynamic game for Looney, but not a bad game, either. Sometimes it feels like he comes in to provide energy in the paint so that the perimeter players can take a few minutes off, and there’s a lot of value in that.
Grade: B-
Pat Spencer
6 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1-for-1 shooting, 100.0% TS, +9
Spencer, who recently had his two-way contract converted into a regular NBA contract, got some unexpected minutes due to Podziemski’s injury. He wasn’t a difference-maker, but, with the exception of one very bad turnover, he played quality basketball.
Grade: B
Quinten Post
21 minutes, 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 4-for-8 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, 0-for-2 free throws, 56.3% TS, +13
It just feels like good things happen whenever Post gets on the court. How many rookies can you say that about, let alone late second-round picks?
He’s fearless when it comes to shooting his three-point shot, and improving around the hoop. His defense seems to get better everyday, and he’s learning how to use his massive frame for rebounding and screens. Like Santos, he was on the court for almost all of the good moments in this game. And you can tell by the way Curry, Green, and Butler treat him, that he fits in brilliantly on this squad.
What a pick.
Grade: A-
***Thursday’s DNP-CDs:***Trayce Jackson-Davis, Kevin Knox II
***Thursday’s inactives:***Taran Armstrong, Braxton Key, Jonathan Kuminga, Jackson Rowe