SAN FRANCISCO – Three days after a humbling trip to the Pacific Northwest, the Warriors returned to the Bay Area and got things back on the right track.

Paced by another strong game from Jimmy Butler III and another step forward in the evolution of Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State had the Chase Center crowd rocking for most of the night as the Warriors put it on the Memphis Grizzlies, beating Ja Morant and Co. 131-118 on Monday night.

Though he didn’t get to the free-throw line as often as he had in the Warriors’ first three games, Butler still proved to be a thorn in the Grizzlies side with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Kuminga had his best game of the young season with a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry scored 16 points, Brandin Podziemski had 23 points and six assists, Moses Moody had 18 with five threes while Draymond Green scored only seven points but tallied 10 assists.

The Warriors (3-1) had this one from start to finish, leading by 21 at one point.

The timing couldn’t have been better, too.

Playing the first half of a back-to-back and winning handily allowed Warriors coach Steve Kerr to give Curry some rest before Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The 3-point king had been averaging more than 32 minutes in each of Golden State’s first three games but logged just under 30 minutes against Memphis. At 37 years old, the two-time NBA MVP will take whatever break he can get.

This one was over early.

The Warriors opened the game with a 7-0 run and never looked back. Memphis didn’t go away quiety and made multiple runs to get close, but the Grizzlies never could get over the hump.

The game took on a lighthearted moment late in the third quarter when Green was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul after he fouled Memphis’ Santi Aldama.

Green, of course, protested the call though it held up. When Aldama missed both free throws, Green high-stepped and danced through the key.

Here are the takeaways from Monday’s win:

Steph vs. Ja

Though they hardly ever matched up against one another, the showdown between Curry and Morant was the marquee story heading into the night, and the two fully lived up to the hype.

Morant got the upper hand as far as stats go, with 23 points and nine assists.

Both men continue to play at a high level. Morant repeatedly attacked the rim while Curry roamed around the perimeter and did what he always does behind the arc.

While Morant got the stats, Curry got the W which is much more important. He’s now 7-4 in games against Morant including the playoffs.

Calm, Cool Kuminga

The 2025-26 NBA season is only four games old, but Kuminga appears as to have a new, controlled approach on the floor.

While still fashioning himself as a player with a steady jumper, Kuminga is being more selective about what shots he takes from the perimeter. At the same time, his patented power drives down the lane look a lot more polished. He also dished out four assists.

During one stretch in the first quarter Kuminga started to drive baseline, hesitated as defenders slid over then dropped the ball through for the easy score.

Kuminga also did an admirable job when he tried to defend Morant. With four inches in height difference, the pairing alone had a comical look, though Kuminga was all business and stuck tight to the Grizzlies point guard.

Trimming the Turnovers

One of the big issues for the Warriors in Friday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers was their inability to protect the ball. They committed a season-high 25 turnovers, which repeatedly prevented the offense from finding much of a rhythm.

Against the Grizzlies the Warriors continued to have some sloppy stretches, and they coughed up the ball 15 times that led to 20 points for Memphis. That’s still far too many for Kerr, but it is a step in the right direction.

As wild as it seems, the Warriors have had serious turnover issuers ever since Curry entered the NBA. The good thing, however, is that for the most part they’ve been able to overcome all those mistakes.

This will likely be a storyline for Kerr’s team all season.

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