Trade-week chaos ended last Thursday, but the Golden State Warriors still had to show up for games and, all things considered, they held up reasonably well.
It started with a 113–94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, then Golden State responded with two gritty defensive performances later in the week -- something that must continue and be near-perfect in the ongoing absence of Stephen Curry (and of course, Jimmy Butler).
The problem was the offensive inconsistency, as the Warriors split their games against the Lakers and Suns. Curry missed all three games and is expected to remain sidelined until after the All-Star break, as is new addition Kristaps Porzingis after arriving in the Jonathan Kuminga deal.
The Warriors illustrated their ability the thrive in Curry's absence, but the margins are thin — a few lapses and games can quickly slip away from them, and last week bore that out.
113–94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers
What worked
Down their top three scoring options, the Warriors still found rhythm early. They scored 55 first-half points on 53% shooting and hit 10 of their 22 attempts from three.
The bench fueled much of that output, providing 42 of the team’s 94 points, led by Pat Spencer’s 13. And it wasn’t just volume — the second unit largely won its minutes, with positive plus/minus marks from Melton (+9), Post (+10), Spencer (+4), Hield (+6) and Payton II (+2). Overall, Golden State stayed competitive by living from deep: 19 made threes on 48 attempts (39.6%).
What didn't
The game displayed perfectly how crucial Steph Curry is to the starting lineup. The starters basically couldn’t put the ball in the basket. The five-man group of Podziemski–Moody–Santos–Green–Horford posted a 64.3 offensive rating in the seven minutes they shared the floor, ultimately costing Golden State the game by giving up untimely scoring runs.
Steve Kerr acknowledged the issues with the lineup and confirmed that changes would be made going forward.
Beyond the lack of scoring, the ball security was nowhere near good enough. The Warriors committed 20 turnovers — six in the fourth quarter — which the Sixers turned into 15 points.
Despite going "big" with both Draymond and Horford starting, Philadelphia's size eventually overwhelmed the Warriors. The 76ers grabbed 25 offensive rebounds, with both Andre Drummond and Dominick Barlow snagging six apiece, resulting in 20 second-chance points.
Long story short: you simply can't win a game while coughing the ball up 20 times and allowing 25 offensive rebounds, particularly without Curry's heroics available to you.
101–97 win over the Phoenix Suns
What worked
The last sequence of the game encapsulated the grit the Warriors’ defense played with. From fighting for the rebound, jumping out of bounds, to saving the ball and diving on the deck, it was the defensive effort that lead Golden State to this scrappy win. The Warriors held the Suns to 97 points — their fourth-fewest total this season.
The game plan was crystal clear: shoot threes — and lots of them. The Warriors attempted 37 threes in the first half — the most by any team in a half this season — and hit 15 of them, tying their season-best. They finished with 55 attempts from deep compared to just 26 from inside the arc.
Golden State made 20 threes overall, with Spencer knocking down a career-high six while putting up 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the 50th — and final — game of his two-way contract
Steve Kerr addressed the lineup problems following the rout in Philly and followed through against Phoenix. The changes included pulling both Horford and Brandin Podziemski from the starting lineup and inserting Spencer and De'Anthony Melton.
The revamped Spencer–Moody–Melton–Santos–Green unit posted a much-improved 118.8 offensive rating along with a staggering 58.8 defensive rating. The bench still provided a boost, led by 15 points and eight rebounds from Gary Payton II.
In his first start of the season, Melton finished with 17 points, two rebounds, one assist, and three steals while posting a team-best +21. Coming off ACL surgery, his minutes are limited to 24–25 and will remain that way for now, so he shouldn’t be expected to hold a full-time starter role.
What didn't
The lone sour note was the Warriors’ third-quarter performance. They were outscored 27–10 while shooting an appalling 21.4% from the field and going 1-of-10 from deep. They also committed six of their 15 turnovers in the period, which led to seven Suns points. That rough patch put them in a 14-point hole to start the fourth — one they somehow managed to climb out of.
Podziemski exited with what was later reported to be an illness. Before checking himself out, he had played just 12 minutes, going scoreless on three shot attempts while grabbing three rebounds and dishing one assist.
105–99 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers
What worked
The Warriors picked up where they left off in Phoenix, forcing 13 first-half turnovers while holding the Lakers to 41 points. Golden State dominated the turnover battle — a key factor this season — by producing 22 turnovers while committing just 12, outscoring the Lakers 25–19 in points off turnovers.
Moses Moody poured in 25 points — his eighth 20-point game of the season, doubling last year’s total. It marked just the second time this season the Warriors have lost when Moody scored at least 20.
Gui Santos continued on his recent tear, adding 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists. The Brazilian forward averages 14.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks over his last six games on 61.4% from the field and 44.4% from three.
What didn't
Taking a lot of threes is a risky bet, and the Warriors found out why. After proving effective against the Suns, the approach came back to bite them. Golden State went 5-of-27 from deep in the first half and finished 14-of-51, salvaged somewhat by a six threes in the fourth quarter.
The defense also let up after halftime, especially in the third quarter. Coming out of the break, the Lakers hung 38 points on the Warriors after totaling just 41 in the entire first half. A 17–5 run spanning late in the second quarter and early in the third eventually buried the Warriors.
What's next?
The Warriors have two games left before the All-Star break, with both of them expected to be played without Curry and newly-acquired Porzingis.
Golden State will take on a Memphis team that recently pulled the plug by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. and appears resolved to a rebuild. The San Antonio Spurs come to town Wednesday — a team the Warriors have beaten twice this season, thanks to two Curry masterclasses (46 and 49 points in those games).