Things are finally starting to look good for the Golden State Warriors. Jimmy Butler has played two games for the Dubs, and they’ve been thoroughly dominant for the final quarter-and-a-half of each of those games, landing two road wins in the process. On Monday it was a 125-111 win over the Milwaukee Bucks (who admittedly were without Giannis Antetokounmpo). They’ll try to add to that momentum with a Wednesday-Thursday Texas doubleheader, and hopefully bring some swagger and a winning streak into the All-Star break.
For now, let’s grade Monday’s game. 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%.
Moses Moody
33 minutes, 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 5-for-10 shooting, 1-for-5 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 59.7% TS, +3
There’s been a lot of talk that the Butler trade is a signal of trust in Jonathan Kuminga, which I fully agree with. But I also think it was a signal of trust in Moody, who has spent the last month proving what many have suspected for a long time: that he’s deserving of a bigger role.
He stepped into the small-ball starting lineup in this game, and he might hold onto that position until Kuminga returns. But that’s not the story right now. The story is the outrageous defense that Moody played on Damian Lillard.
Sure, Lillard scored 38 points on excellent efficiency — great offense still beats great defense with regularity. But he also committed a career-worst 10 turnovers, and Moody’s defense was a huge part of that.
Finding minutes for everyone is still going to be difficult when Kuminga returns, but there’s a reason the Warriors were comfortable trading four players for one. Moody will likely go back to the bench eventually, but I think his large role is here to stay.
Grade: A
Jimmy Butler
31 minutes, 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 4-for-12 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 12-for-15 free throws, 53.8% TS, 0 +/-
The Butler era is off to a strong start, and there’s reason to believe it will only get better. Butler — who, prior to his Dubs debut, had only played five times since December 20 — admitted after the game that he’s still a long ways away from being back to his ideal game shape.
Butler says his conditioning “is nowhere close to being where it needs to be and I can’t wait until I’m back in basketball shape the way that I’m used to being.” Said he still has time to go. Credited the Warriors for ensuring he’s comfortable.
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) February 11, 2025
And yet, he’s been the very definition of a difference-maker. He has needed essentially no adjustment period to learn how to play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. And he has fully put the team on his back during Curry’s second-half rest minutes, bullying — truly bullying — his way to the rim. It’s rare to see a player so immediately change the process of a team; if you didn’t think the Warriors needed the things that Butler brings, you certainly do after these two games.
His playmaking was exceptional in this game, and he was so strong on the glass and defense.
Yep. I think this is gonna work just fine. I might knock him down a half a grade if he has this performance in a month, but given that he’s been on the team for only a few days, it’s an easy A for me.
Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists, tied for the team lead in rebounds.
Draymond Green
32 minutes, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 2-for-7 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 2-for-4 free throws, 34.2% TS, +14
Some things never change. For the past decade, no matter what big man walks through the doors, the Warriors have been at their best with Green at center. It’s still true, and on Monday Steve Kerr went small, starting Green at the five.
I’m curious to see if they continue to play this way, or if the Dubs go back to not wanting to risk over-exerting Dray at the start of games. But it’s abundantly clear that the closing lineup most nights will have Green in the middle alongside Butler and Kuminga. And that’s gonna be fun.
Anyway, tremendous defense from Dray, even if the offense struggled and he was in foul trouble.
Grade: B
Buddy Hield
30 minutes, 16 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-for-15 shooting, 2-for-8 threes, 53.3% TS, +11
Hield looks fully rejuvenated; it sure seems like he’s having fun playing with Butler. He deserves credit for staying locked in and playing hard even when his shot was struggling for a month or so there … and now that energy has remained, even as the shot has started to come back.
It wasn’t the cleanest game — he had some unnecessary heat checks, a few forced shots, and some reckless plays on both sides of the court — but Hield is back to being an asset who makes good things happen and provides lots of spacing.
Grade: B
Steph Curry
34 minutes, 38 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 12-for-24 shooting, 6-for-16 threes, 8-for-9 free throws, 68.0% TS, +8
Yeah, Curry sure seems to be enjoying life with Butler on the court. His new teammate makes things so much easier when they share the floor together: Butler’s screen-setting, IQ, playmaking, and ability to punish defenses for focusing on Curry is opening up the court for Steph. And you can see in Curry’s style of play, demeanor, and energy level that he feels less pressure. Curry no longer has the stress of needing to build up a lead before going to the bench, and you can see it in how he plays.
Just a brilliant offensive game for Curry, and while he deserves all the credit for that, it sure feels like the trade facilitated it.
Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
Gary Payton II
10 minutes, 4 points, 3 assists, 2 fouls, 2-for-2 shooting, 100.0% TS, +6
It wasn’t until the trade that I realized that Payton reminds me a lot of a much smaller Butler. And it goes without saying that I mean that as quite a compliment!
Grade: B+
Brandin Podziemski
32 minutes, 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3-for-10 shooting, 1-for-5 threes, 2-for-4 free throws, 38.3% TS, +18
The minutes with Butler and Podziemski on the court at the same time are golden. Talk about two feisty, pesky, cocky dudes who play with brash arrogance yet almost always make the smart play.
Not an efficient scoring game for Podz, but I look forward to watching him learn from Butler about shot selection and creating contact. Even when he doesn’t score, he does everything else so well, from attacking the glass to swinging the ball to drawing charges.
Grade: B
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in rebounds, best plus/minus on the team.
Kevon Looney
12 minutes, 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 2-for-2 free throws, 34.0% TS, -3
Not Looney’s best game, but also just not a great matchup for him, as Milwaukee really only plays with stretch fives. Still a good defensive and rebounding showing for Looney.
Grade: C
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Gui Santos
6 minutes, 0 points, 1 foul, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 0.0% TS, +2
Playing time is getting hard for Santos to find again, and that will only be compounded when Kuminga returns. But it’s clear that he’s earned the trust of both the coaching staff and his teammates, and Kerr will have no problem giving him big minutes whenever the team needs it. Even when he’s playing sparingly, he seems to come off the bench to add both energy and smart playmaking.
Grade: C+
Quinten Post
15 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 4-for-5 shooting, 3-for-4 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 110.5% TS, +11
Post was moved out of the starting five, but it sure didn’t impact how much he helped the Warriors. He was excellent when on the court, and had one of the biggest sequences of the game, when he hit back-to-back threes early in the fourth quarter to turn a two-point lead into an eight-point lead … and spark a 20-4 run. There’s no fear in Post, who drained all three of his triples in that pivotal fourth quarter. He seems ready for whatever challenge is given to him.
Grade: A
Trayce Jackson-Davis
1 minute, 0 points, 1 foul, 0 +/-
Just a little garbage time for TJD. He’s out of the rotation at the moment, and with Post excelling and the Warriors going small more often, that’s probably going to be the case for a while.
Grade: Incomplete
Jackson Rowe
1 minute, 2 points, 1-for-2 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 50.0% TS, 0 +/-
Fun seeing Rowe get some NBA minutes under his belt, even if just in garbage time.
Grade: Incomplete
Pat Spencer
1 minute, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 +/-
It’s impressive how Spencer always seems to put up some stats, even when he only plays 71 seconds.
Grade: Incomplete
Monday’s inactives: Jonathan Kuminga
Curry: 11 in first stint, cold second.
Hield: 7 of first 12 points.
Post: 3 threes in the early 4th to blow it open.
