The Golden State Warriors (now 29-25) refused to go quietly into the All-Star break, erasing a 13-point deficit in the final 8:23 to steal a 114-113 victory over the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center on Monday night (February 9, 2026).
Both teams were severely depleted:
Golden State: No Stephen Curry (runner’s knee — ruled out through All-Star break), no Jimmy Butler (season-ending ACL), no Kristaps Porziņģis (debut delayed post-break due to Achilles/illness).Memphis: No Ja Morant, Santi Aldama, or Zach Edey — clearly prioritizing tanking and sitting key players late despite the close score.
The Comeback Story
Al Horford
Warriors trailed 108-95 with 8:23 left.Held Memphis to just 5 points over the final 8:23 — a suffocating 11-0 closing run.Gui Santos delivered the game-winner: a layup with 19.4 seconds remaining, capping the rally.Golden State closed on an 11-0 run and allowed zero points over the final 4:13.
The defensive masterclass mirrored their earlier comeback against Phoenix (held Suns to 2 points over final 7:19, closed on 17-2 run). Once again, the surge happened mostly without Draymond Green on the floor — lineups featuring Al Horford, Santos, Gary Payton II, De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody proved lockdown in crunch time.
Horford Dominates at 39
Al Horford was the game’s most valuable player:
16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers in 26 minutes.Anchored the defense and provided post scoring/stability when Green’s turnovers piled up (Green had 7 turnovers, team-worst -17 rating).His final play sealed it: missed post shot → missed tip → grabbed his own rebound while falling out of bounds → found Santos for the game-winner.
Horford’s veteran poise and low-turnover play were critical — especially with Green’s ongoing turnover issues magnified without Curry to bail him out.
Balanced Scoring & Depth Heroics
Six Warriors reached double figures:
Pat Spencer: 17 points, 7 assistsGui Santos: 16 points, 8 rebounds, game-winning layupAl Horford: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assistsBrandin Podziemski: 16 pointsMoses Moody: 15 pointsDraymond Green: 14 points (despite turnovers)
The depth has kept Golden State competitive despite constant injuries — a testament to Kerr’s rotation trust and role players stepping up.
What’s Next
Warriors improved to 29-25 and remain in 8th place.Final pre-break game: Wednesday vs. San Antonio Spurs.All-Star break gives Curry extra recovery time (runner’s knee) and Porziņģis clearance opportunity (earliest debut Feb. 19 vs. Boston).The comeback proves this roster can win through defense and timely baskets even when the offense sputters — a blueprint they’ll need until the stars return.
Warriors fans — how big was this win for momentum? Does the Horford-Santos defensive pairing give you hope for the stretch run? And are you worried about Green’s turnover issues without Curry? Let me know your thoughts below — the break can’t come soon enough, but this group is fighting.