As the Golden State Warriors were busy getting a big road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, their G League affiliate were in the middle of a tight tussle in the first-round of the G League playoffs.
Unfortunately for Santa Cruz, their campaign came to an end on their home floor in a 131-127 defeat to the Valley Suns at Kaiser Permanente Arena. The Warriors found themselves down by 11 at the half, yet a 38-23 third-quarter had them on the brink of advancing before the Suns closed the final period 30-22 to claim a road win.
Former NBA first-round pick TyTy Washington Jr. exploded for 40 points, six rebounds and nine assists for the Suns, ultimately proving too much for Santa Cruz despite the hosts having six players in double-figure scoring.
Warriors forward Braxton Key has won G League Defensive Player of the Year
Braxton Key once again led the way for the Warriors with 30 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the four-point defeat. The two-way contracted forward shot 13-of-22 from the floor, 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and finished as a +7 despite the loss.
While a disappointing end from a team standpoint, it was another big performance from Key who has been posting massive numbers in the G League since signing his two-way deal with Golden State in early March.
Key has now been rewarded for his impressive season -- both with the Warriors and previously San Diego Clippers -- by being named the G League's Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.
Defense is Key! ð @warriors Two-Way forward Braxton Key is your 2024-25 @Kia NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in steals (96) to help @GLeagueWarriors to the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed. pic.twitter.com/p8K34WC07v
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 2, 2025
In 11 regular season appearances with Santa Cruz, Key averaged 22.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.4 steals and nearly a block per game. The 28-year-old also shot 55.4% from the floor and 45.2% from 3-point range, the latter of which was a nice surprise given he'd shot just 20% to start the season with San Diego.
While Key's G League season may now be over, there's still plenty that could play out over the coming weeks. He, Taran Armstrong and Jackson Rowe remain on two-way contracts with Golden State, though only the latter has appeared in a game for the main squad this season.
Regardless, Key is the favorite for many to earn a call-up and be rewarded with an end of season contract in the imminent future. That would make him eligible to participate in the playoffs where his defense could be utilized in isolated possessions.
After going undrafted in 2020, Key has appeared in 34 career NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and most recently with the Denver Nuggets last season.