SAN FRANCISCO — The reality of the Warriors’ roster means that, on nights one or more of their veteran stars gets a breather, their ability to win at less than full strength will play an imperative role in determining their position when the postseason comes around.
Golden State has looked mighty good when everyone is available, and on Monday night, the Warriors (3-1) notched their first win while missing a key piece.
Moses Moody heated up after halftime to score 20 points off the bench, while Jonathan Kuminga led four Golden State starters to finish in double figures, as the Warriors dispatched of the Memphis Grizzlies, 131-118. All the while, Al Horford watched from the bench in a beige sweatsuit.
The supporting cast delivered a better effort than on Friday in Portland, the Warriors’ first game without the 39-year-old Horford, which ended in a 139-119 loss despite getting 42 points from Steph Curry. The Warriors required only 16 points from Curry against the Grizzlies (2-2), his lowest scoring output of the young season.
Kuminga continued to fill the stat sheet with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double. Brandin Podziemski poured in 23 points and six assists — both season highs — and Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Draymond Green, the lone starter who didn’t score in double figures, led the team with 10 assists.
“That’s how you get through the regular season,” Curry said.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 gets tangled up while guarding Memphis Grizzlies’ Jock Landale #31 as the ball goes out of bounds in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
It was only the sixth time in Curry’s tenure that the Warriors had four players score 20 or more points and none was Curry. Three of them were drafted and developed by the team and still under the age of 25. Curry referred to the team’s older cohort including himself, Green, Butler and Horford, as their “uncs.”
“There’ll be games where all of the uncs are out, and they’re gonna have to step up,” Curry said of Podziemski, Moody and Kuminga.
After going big against the Blazers with Quinten Post as their fifth starter, coach Steve Kerr opted to reinsert Podziemski into the starting lineup and was quickly rewarded. Podziemski sank an open 3-pointer on the Warriors’ first possession, assisted to Curry in transition not long after and eventually finished with double the amount of dimes that he had totaled his first three games (three).
“It helped that he knocked down the first shot of the game,” said Kerr, who was asked before tipoff about Podziemski’s slow start to the season and suggested he might be putting too much pressure on himself. “He just looked like the guy we saw all training camp and all last year, the second half of last year once he got it going. Great night for Brandon. He and Moses knocking down 10 3s combined — that was really impressive. We feel like we have a lot of weapons, a lot of depth.”
Kerr used a rotation of 12 players before halftime and experimented with creative lineups, including one that featured Gui Santos at center. Pat Spencer became the 13th player to get in the game once the outcome was no longer in question and provided one of its more memorable moments, going 1-on-1 against his brother, Cam, on one of the Warriors’ final possessions of garbage time.
“It’s my favorite thing — when we can get 10, 12 guys contributing to a win,” Kerr said. “Everybody feels really engaged and important. There’s a spirit that’s captured within the team, and this group has a real chance to do that. We’ve got such good guys and so much depth, so many people who can play. This was a great example of that tonight.”
The Warriors assisted on 36 of their 44 baskets, including six from Green by the 6-minute mark of the first period as Golden State built a 25-15 advantage. The Grizzlies, however, mounted a 16-0 run against the Warriors’ reserves and ended the opening quarter leading 37-36.
The Warriors’ 36 points were the most they have scored in a quarter this season, but the 37 they allowed trailed only their worst defensive periods against Denver and Portland. The group buckled down to hold the Grizzlies to 8-of-24 from the field in the second quarter to go into halftime up 65-61 and limited Memphis to under 40% shooting from the end of the first onward.
They matched their first-quarter scoring output on the other side of halftime and paired it with their second-quarter defense, pulling ahead with a 36-24 margin in the third.
“I thought we connected the game in the second half — our offense helped our defense and vice versa,” Kerr said. “We really put together a good half.”
Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody #4 shoots an off-balance shot past Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 and Ja Morant #12 in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The starting unit again built a 10-point lead during their shift early following halftime. This time, when Kerr went to his bench, the reserves didn’t let the lead evaporate — they built on it, led by Moody. The fifth-year shooting guard, who missed the first two games of the season with a calf strain, was a team-worst minus-12 at halftime but proceeded to make that up and more after intermission.
Moody entered the game with the Warriors leading by seven and connected on consecutive 3-pointers to push their advantage to 13, 88-75. He swiped the ball from Memphis big man Santi Aldama, passed to Curry and called for the ball back on the perimeter. Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled him attempting to contest the shot, and Moody sank all three free throws to push the Warriors’ lead back to 16.
The sequence ignited the arena to its loudest point of the night, aided by none other than Curry and Green. Curry flexed and summoned the 18,064 on hand to rise to their feet as Moody headed to the line. A possession earlier, Green began to incite the crowd after his hard foul on Aldama was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
Aldama missed both free throws he was awarded, and Green celebrated by skipping around the paint as if he was riding a toy horse.
“I don’t think he did anything malicious,” Curry said of the foul. “But two free throws missed, he got the crowd into it, starts talking. … Those are moments where you protect your home court. The crowd getting into is, us feeding off of that, getting a stop and turning that into true momentum, separation where you look up and it’s 17, 20, or whatever (the lead) was. You have that cushion.”
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 celebrates after Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 misses a second free throw in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. A technical foul was called on Green, which was upgraded to a flagrant one foul. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Up next
The Warriors will be back at full strength for the second half of their second back-to-back of the season as Horford is expected to return for their matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tipoff at Chase Center is set for 8 p.m. in the first of a new era of some later starts.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 brings the ball down court as he’s guarded by Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 shoots a basket as he’s double teamed by Memphis Grizzlies’ Jock Landale #31 and Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski #2 looks to shoot as he’s guarded by Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant #12 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 dunks past Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward #23 in the first quarter of their NBA game the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 brings the ball down court in the first quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Buddy Hield #7 is congratulated by teammates after drawing a foul in the second quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 shoots past Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant #12 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 passes as he’s guarded by Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 in the second quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 guards Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells #0 as he takes a shot in the second quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr watches the action in the second quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 battles Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 for a rebound in the second quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant #12 brings the ball down court past Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II #0 in the second quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Al Horford #20 watches from the bench in the third quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant #12 shoots past Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 reacts after he was called for a technical foul against Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. It was upgraded to a flagrant one foul. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 reacts as Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 misses a free throw in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. A technical foul was called on Green, which was upgraded to a flagrant one foul. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II #0 grabs a loose ball in the third quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody #4 shoots an off-balance shot past Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 and Ja Morant #12 in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 guards Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama #7 in the third quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 talks with head coach Steve Kerr after fouling out in the fourth quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Quinten Post #21 looks to pass as he’s guarded by Memphis Grizzlies’ Cam Spencer #24 and Cedric Coward #23 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Will Richard #3 shoots past Memphis Grizzlies’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #3 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 guards Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward #23 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 dunks past Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells #0 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 drives to the basket in the fourth quarter of their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 is fouled by Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II #0 is congratulated by Memphis Grizzlies’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #3 after the Warriors 131-113 NBA win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga #1 during the national anthem before their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 greets Australian professional golfer Min Woo Lee before their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Jordan 9, center, with his parents Kat and T.J. Verceles, from left, of Pleasant Hill, watches Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 warm up before their NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
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Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 brings the ball down court as he’s guarded by Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)