Translator's Note: The original article was published on Yahoo Sports. The data in the article are as of the time of the original publication (October 27, local time). The dates and times involved are all local time.
San Francisco News - After three days of a frustrating northwest road trip, the Warriors returned to the Bay Area and got everything back on track.
With another stellar performance from Jimmy Butler and another stellar performance from Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors beat the Ja Morant-led Grizzlies 131-118 on Monday night, keeping the Chase Center crowd in high spirits for much of the night.
Although he did not stand on the free throw line as frequently as in the first three games, Butler still scored 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, proving that he is a difficult guy in the eyes of the Grizzlies.
Kuminga played his best game so far this season, contributing a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry scored 16 points; Brandin Podemski scored 23 points and 6 assists; Moses Moody scored 18 points, including 5 three-pointers; and Draymond Green only scored 7 points, but sent 10 assists.
The Warriors controlled the game from beginning to end, leading by as many as 21 points at one point.
This timing couldn't be better.
It was the first of a back-to-back, and the easy win allowed Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to give Curry some rest before Tuesday's game against the Clippers. The three-point champion averaged more than 32 minutes per game in the Warriors' first three games, but played less than 30 minutes against the Grizzlies. For the 37-year-old two-time MVP, he will seize any opportunity to rest.
This game lost its suspense early.
The Warriors started with a 7-0 offensive and never gave their opponents a chance. The Grizzlies did not give up easily and had many offensive climaxes to close the score, but they were never able to reverse the situation.
There was a relaxing scene at the end of the third quarter of the game, when Green was whistled for a first-level flagrant foul after fouling the Grizzlies' Santi Aldama.
Of course, Green protested the penalty, but the referee chose to uphold the original decision. When Aldama missed two free throws, Green danced in the penalty area with his legs high.
The following are some highlights of this victory:
Curry vs. Morant
Although the two players rarely face off directly, the duel between Curry and Morant was the biggest highlight before the game that night, and the two completely lived up to people's expectations.
In terms of data, Morant has the upper hand. He scored 23 points and 9 assists.
Both of them continued to play at a high level. Morant repeatedly drove to the rim while Curry roamed the perimeter and did what he always does best from beyond the arc.
Although Morant won in terms of statistics, Curry won, which is much more important. Including the playoffs, Curry now has a record of 7 wins and 4 losses against Morant.
The calm and composed Kuminga
The 2025-26 NBA regular season has only lasted four games, but Kuminga seems to have shown a new, more controlled style of play on the court.
While continuing to polish his stable jump shooting skills, Kuminga has become more cautious in selecting outside shots. At the same time, his signature powerful breakthrough looks more sophisticated. In addition, Kuminga also sent 4 assists.
In one round in the first quarter, Kuminga started to break through along the baseline, paused briefly when the defender slid over, and then easily put the ball into the basket to complete the score.
When Kuminga tried to defend Morant, he also did a very good job. With a height difference of 4 inches (about 10 centimeters) between the two, the matchup itself seemed a bit comical, but Kuminga was very focused and stayed close to the Grizzlies point guard.
Reduction in turnovers
A big problem for the Warriors in Friday's loss to the Trail Blazers was their inability to protect the ball. At that time, the Warriors had a season-high 25 turnovers, which made it difficult for them to find a rhythm on the offensive end.
In the game against the Grizzlies, the Warriors still had some sloppy periods. They made 15 turnovers, allowing the Grizzlies to take advantage of the mistakes and score 20 points. That's still too much for Cole, but it's a step in the right direction.
This may sound incredible, but the Warriors' turnover problem has been serious since Curry entered the NBA. However, the good news is that in most cases, they can overcome all of these problems.
This is likely to be a theme throughout the season for Kerr's team.
Author: Michael Wagaman
Translator: GWayNe
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