Player grades: Warriors vs. Lakers

Assessing every Golden State player’s performance from the team’s 123-116 win over Los Angeles.

The Golden State Warriors had one of their most impressive wins of the season on Thursday night, besting the Los Angeles Lakers 123-116 in a highlight-fueled affair. It was a game with massive implications: not only did it move the Dubs closer to the fourth seed, but it kept them fifth in the standings, while a loss would have tumbled them down to eighth. It also gave them confidence that they can beat the Lakers, after losing the first three matchups against the team that they might meet in the first round of the playoffs.

So let’s grade the players who got it done. 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 Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 57.6%.

Moses Moody

29 minutes, 13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-for-7 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, 4-for-4 free throws, 74.2% TS, -4

Thursday was a game full of stars. And while some non-stars, like Brandin Podziemski and Austin Reaves, stepped into the role of stardom, one established star felt notably absent: Luka Dončić.

Luka still had a statistically-impressive game, with 19 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but he shot quite inefficiently and looked out of rhythm all game long. And the primary defender on him? Moses Moody.

Just a sensational defensive performance from Moody, who is blossoming into a high-level starter before our eyes.

And speaking of sensational, Moody also attempted to end Reaves’ life with a poster dunk in the first quarter that aws one of the highlights of the season. Unfortunately it was wiped away after the coward JJ Redick decided to challenge the call.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Jimmy Butler III

36 minutes, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 4-for-7 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 69.8% TS, -1

A fairly statistically-quiet game for Butler, but you could feel his fingerprints all over this one. He was a calming and stabilizing force when they team needed it, and he had so many clutch defensive plays down the stretch. For the second game in a row, he appeared to get banged up but still led the team in minutes.

Just an absolute dog of a player, in all the complimentary ways.

Grade: A-

Draymond Green

34 minutes, 8 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 5 turnovers, 4 fouls, 3-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, 0-for-2 free throws, 40.5% TS, +4

I began Thursday by asking the community if Draymond Green should win Defensive Player of the Year this season.

I’m ending Thursday by telling you the answer: Yes. Yes he should.

He was so phenomenal defensively that he gets an “A” grade despite having five turnovers and shooting poorly.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.

Brandin Podziemski

36 minutes, 28 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 10-for-17 shooting, 8-for-10 threes, 82.4% TS, +5

It was one of the biggest games of the year. It was on the road. It was a game filled with Hall of Fame-bound talents played in an arena full of A-list celebrities. It was nationally televised.

And Podz dropped 28, eight, and six with outrageous efficiency and strong defense.

He set the tone, making three triples in the first three minutes. He controlled the momentum, banking home a half-court shot to beat the buzzer at halftime, right as the Lakers had threatened to find a groove.

Podziemski is utterly fearless, and on Thursday, on the grandest stage, he was nothing short of a superstar.

Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.

Steph Curry

34 minutes, 37 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 10-for-21 shooting, 4-for-11 threes, 13-for-14 free throws, 68.1% TS, -1

If you had any concerns about Curry looking sluggish after his 52-point explosion on Tuesday, he quickly assuaged them. Steph was equal parts superstar, showman, game manager, and bully. It seemed that at every moment he was whatever the Warriors needed ... and whatever the Lakers feared.

He also played through landing awkwardly and painfully — twice on one possession — aggravating the injury he just returned from. That toughness bumps him up a half-grade, to a perfect score.

Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, tied for the team lead in assists.

Gui Santos

11 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 0-for-1 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 53.2% TS, +9

Santos’ stats have dropped off a bit lately, but his minutes feel more important than ever. The boost of energy and speed, and the defense he provides just do wonders for the team.

Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Jonathan Kuminga

25 minutes, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 3 fouls, 7-for-12 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 3-for-5 free throws, 63.4% TS, +9

Kuminga was a game-time decision due to a pelvic contusion, but you sure wouldn’t know it watching him play. There were multiple stretches where he was the best player on the court, getting absolutely anything and everything that he wanted going to the rim, pulling in the defense to set up his teammates, and flying all over the court to grab rebounds and contest shots.

An absolute difference-maker.

Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Buddy Hield

13 minutes, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 0-for-3 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 0.0% TS, +7

Another tough scoring game for Hield, whose role has really started to diminish lately. But I liked the other things he did in this game, with decent defense and good decision-making and playmaking. He can be a really sound role player.

Grade: C+

Quinten Post

15 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 1-for-4 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 41.0% TS, +7

Post wasn’t able to make much of an impact scoring the basketball in this game, but he showed why his teammates love him so much when he mixed it up with LeBron on a few occasions. He’s tough and brash, and his defense is getting better every single game.

Grade: B-

Kevon Looney

8 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 1-for-1 shooting, 100.0% TS, 0 +/-

Fairly nondescript minutes for Looney. Didn’t do anything noteworthy, but didn’t do anything bad, either.

Grade: C+

Thursday’s DNP-CDs: Taran Armstrong, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Kevin Knox II, Pat Spencer

Thursday’s inactives: Braxton Key, Gary Payton II, Jackson Rowe