The Golden State Warriors continued their winning ways on Monday, fighting off a pesky Portland Trail Blazers team to win 130-120, giving them their second five-game winning streak in the short Jimmy Butler III era. It might not have been the prettiest win, but it was full of impressive performances.
Now it’s time to grade those performances. As always, grades are based on my expectations for 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 Monday’s games, league-average TS was 57.5%.
Jimmy Butler III
35 minutes, 15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 4-for-10 shooting, 7-for-8 free throws, 55.5% TS, +1
Imagine if I told you when the season started that the Warriors first triple-double of the year would be accomplished by Butler. You just never know what you’re going to get in the NBA!
It was a quiet triple-double, and I don’t mean that as a negative. Butler is the rare star who is more than happy to be the second or third fiddle. He always makes his impact, even when it’s not flashy, and this game was a shining example.
Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds and assists.
Draymond Green
28 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-3 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 51.5% TS, +4
Not the cleanest game for Dray. He had a few rough turnovers, and didn’t score until the second half. And while he had a fine game defensively, it always reflects on him a little bit when the team gives up 120 points. Still and all, his quarterbacking was important in this game, and he did a whole bunch of little things that helped the team get the win.
Grade: B-
Quinten Post
25 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 4-for-10 shooting, 3-for-5 threes, 55.0% TS, -2
Post was an absolute star in the first quarter. He had a few big threes early after the Warriors fell behind 7-0, and was controlling the paint with blocked shots and rebounds. He still hasn’t quite figured out how to score inside the arc, though he certainly has all the skills to suggest that it’s only a matter of time.
His shooting is a game-changer for the Warriors, and it’s cleared they’re enamored with his toughness and competitive drive. As am I, for that matter.
Grade: A-
Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Moses Moody
30 minutes, 20 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 7-for-10 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, 4-for-4 free throws, 85.0% TS, -2
My goodness what a performance from Moody. Sure, some more rebounds or some assists would be nice. But 30 minutes in a fast-paced game without a turnover or a foul, while pouring in 20 points on extreme efficiency? I think it’s safe to say that Moody has fully arrived.
Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Steph Curry
34 minutes, 24 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 6-for-14 shooting, 5-for-11 threes, 7-for-7 free throws, 70.3% TS, +6
Curry was an absolute wizard scoring. He fluctuated between being able to get anything he wanted, and making impossible shots. He picked his spots, letting his teammates score, and then dropping in a clutch bucket whenever the team needed it.
He struggled with other areas of the game. It wasn’t a good defensive game for the chef, and he had more turnovers than assists. But he was the biggest reason they scored 130 points, and that counts for a whole lot.
Grade: B+
Buddy Hield
25 minutes, 20 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 7-for-10 shooting, 6-for-9 threes, 100.0% TS, +16
And this is why the Warriors signed Hield. Sure, he’s got plenty of stinkers and clankers, but he always has the potential of popping off and carrying the team to victory. It was clear from pretty much the moment Hield checked in that he was feeling it, and he did not disappoint. It felt like all of his shots were momentum-shifters, and the assists allow you to forgive the turnovers. Excellent stuff.
Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
Gary Payton II
28 minutes, 26 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 11-for-16 shooting, 4-for-6 threes, 81.3% TS, +14
It wasn’t until Payton’s 20th game this year that he hit double figures. And through January 15 — the team’s 40th game, and Payton’s 29th — he’d still done it just once, topping out at 11. Now he’s scored 14 or more points in four of the last seven games, and he’s doing so on ridiculous efficiency.
He was a marksman in this game, and also just repeatedly beat defenders to the rim, in the halfcourt and in transition, with or without the ball. I’ve long felt that Payton had some underrated offensive skills, and it’s fun seeing them come to life.
Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
Kevon Looney
20 minutes, 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-6 shooting, 50.0% TS, +6
Hield and Payton stole the show, but Looney quietly had a superb game off the bench. He was a big part of why the Warriors were competitive on the glass, and had some awesome defensive plays, all while continuing to show off his playmaking. He’s just having trouble scoring this year, but other than that, a great game.
Grade: B+
Gui Santos
15 minutes, 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, 2-for-6 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 33.3% TS, +7
Santos is the player who figures to lose the most playing time when Jonathan Kuminga returns. And when you watch him play games like the one he played Monday, you can both see just how much of an improvement the Warriors will get when Kuminga returns, and why Steve Kerr has openly said that they need to keep Santos in the rotation even with Kuminga’s return.
He just makes winning plays, even though he also has some games where he struggles to score, and gets sloppy with turnovers and fouls.
Grade: C
Monday’s DNP-CDs: Taran Armstrong, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Braxton Key, Kevin Knox II, Pat Spencer
Monday’s inactives: Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Jackson Rowe
