Up 99–97 with 10 seconds left and the game on the line, De’Anthony Melton forced Dillon Brooks into a tough step-back three that clanged off the back rim — and then chaos ensued.
Gary Payton II secured the rebound but appeared to lose control of it. Al Horford, fading out of bounds, could only heave the ball back into play. Moses Moody punctuated the scramble by snatching it away from Collin Gillespie, then diving on the floor to shovel it ahead to Melton, who raced upcourt for the game-sealing layup.
The bench erupted. An injured Stephen Curry was already on the floor celebrating before the ball even dropped through the net. Emotions ran high — the Warriors badly needed this win, while it also showcased a new blueprint centered on grit and the 3-point line.
Warriors grit their teeth in stunning comeback win over Suns
“Felt like we won the championship,” Steve Kerr said after the game. “Just the emotion of everything — the last two days, losing three of our guys who were beloved in the locker room, and losing Jimmy, Steph being out — it’s just been tough this last week or ten days. It just felt like a great team win where everybody fought, competed, and stayed with it. It was a beautiful thing to watch.”
Following the 113–94 rout to Philadelphia on Tuesday, Kerr said the starting lineup would change going forward. On Thursday night, he went with Pat Spencer, De’Anthony Melton, Moses Moody, Gui Santos and Draymond Green, removing both Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford and opting to start small.
The early returns were eye-opening. In eight minutes together, that unit posted a 118.8 offensive rating and a staggering 58.8 defensive rating. The closing scramble captured the tone of the night. “The last possession was emblematic of our defensive effort,” Kerr said.
In his first start of the season, Melton put up 17 points, two rebounds, one assist and three steals while finishing as a team-high +21. When asked whether Melton would stay in the starting lineup going forward, Kerr was noncommittal. The main reason is the 24-minute restriction he’s still on — and the fact that he doesn’t play in back-to-backs. Once the team gets healthier, his role off the bench will be key, as it’s been since his return from injury.
Another player who could emerge as a key contributor is Pat Spencer, who was officially active for his 50th game and, therefore, will need to be converted to a standard NBA contract. With the departures of Buddy Hield and Trayce Jackson-Davis, it shouldn’t be a problem — and it’s a relief. Spencer delivered a career night, scoring 20 points and drilling a personal-best six threes, while adding six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Gui Santos, meanwhile, made the most of his second straight start and stayed on the tear he’s been on over the last week or so. Over his last five games, he’s averaging 14.8 points (second-most on the team), 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.
“Gui’s been fantastic over the last few weeks. Especially without Jimmy, we’re gonna rely on him to make plays. He’s playing at a really high level right now,” Kerr said.
The Warriors attempted 37 threes in the first half and made 15, putting them on pace to shatter multiple NBA records. But a 17-point third quarter — including a 1-of-10 stretch from deep — put a damper on it. Golden State still finished with 20 threes on 55 attempts while taking just 21 two-point shots. Gary Payton II knocked down three triples, a season high, to go with his 15 points and eight rebounds
Given the lack of rim-attacking threats — especially with Jimmy Butler down and Jonathan Kuminga traded — that may be the blueprint going forward. “Especially without Jimmy, we don’t have a lot of guys who are going to score in the paint or get fouled, so we’re trying to spread the floor and play five-out,” Kerr said. “If we have a three, we have to take it, crash, and get extra possessions. It’s a lot of threes, but I think it’s kind of how we have to play.”
7-foot-2 Kristaps Porzingis, whom the Warriors acquired in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Hield, will bring size, reach, and a real paint presence. His ability to score at all three levels should help Golden State leverage the spacing he creates, opening lanes to penetrate and generating cleaner looks via drive-and-kicks.
However, Porzingis’ health has always been the swing factor. He hasn’t played more than 60 games in any of the last three seasons and has appeared in just 17 games this year with the Atlanta Hawks. Despite Porzingis not being expected to play in Los Angeles on Saturday, Kerr is confident he can stay on the floor going forward.
With Stephen Curry expected back, the Warriors will take on the Lakers on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Golden State will then open a four-game homestand featuring games against the Grizzlies, Spurs, Celtics and Nuggets.