With just 27 games left before the postseason, the Warriors find themselves in a familiar yet frustrating position - hovering around the play-in threshold and needing a strong second-half surge to secure a top-six seed in the West. But as the All-Star break offers a moment to breathe, reflect, and recalibrate, De’Anthony Melton is keeping things in perspective - both for himself and his team.
Melton Reflects on the Season and His Comeback
For Melton, this season has been about more than just wins and losses. It’s been a personal journey back to form after a torn ACL sidelined him last year. Now back in the rotation, the 25-year-old guard is focused on growth - not just physically, but mentally and strategically.
“Me personally, ups and downs,” Melton said. “I think that comes with the season at the end of the day. The biggest thing for me is trying to figure out how to get better and trying to figure out ways defenses are covering me, especially without 30 out there.”
Without Steph Curry drawing defenders and creating space, Melton has often found himself facing the opposing team’s primary perimeter stopper. That shift has forced him to adapt on the fly - learning how to stay effective even when the defensive pressure ramps up.
“Feeling the primary defender on me and just figuring out ways to also be effective for my teammates,” he added. “Just got to keep figuring it out, that’s all it is.”
That mindset - steady, focused, and self-aware - mirrors the approach the Warriors will need as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.
A Team That Knows Its Ceiling
At 29-26, the Warriors know they’ve let some games slip away. Whether it’s a missed rotation here, a questionable whistle there, or just the kind of bad bounces that seem to come in bunches, the team has had its share of near-misses. But Melton isn’t interested in excuses.
“We feel like we lost some games we should have won,” he said. “Sometimes, it feels like there’s some bad bounces out there, some bad calls or whatever it is.
But at the end of the day, none of that stuff matters no more. Once that win or loss goes into the column, that’s all you can do.”
What does matter is how the team responds. And Melton made it clear - the Warriors still believe in their identity and their potential.
“We know we’re still a great team. We know we can beat pretty much any team,” Melton said. “So we just got to figure those things out and stay more dialed in.”
The Numbers Back It Up
Melton’s impact hasn’t just been anecdotal - it’s been measurable. Since regaining his rhythm post-injury, he’s quietly become one of the most valuable players on the roster, especially when you dig into the advanced metrics.
When Melton is on the floor, the Warriors are +9 on offense and a stingy -7.2 on defense. When he sits, those numbers flip - the offense dips to -3.8, and the defense softens to -1.5.
That’s an eye-popping +18.5 net on-off swing, which isn’t just good - it’s elite. For context, that’s nearly seven points better than Jimmy Butler’s +11.8, which ranks second on the team.
And while his shooting has had its cold spells - particularly from beyond the arc - Melton is still averaging a career-best 11.7 points per game. That’s all while playing limited minutes under a post-injury restriction. Once that leash is lifted and he can consistently log 25+ minutes, the potential for him to thrive alongside Curry becomes even more intriguing.
Eyes on the Finish Line
The path ahead won’t be easy. The Western Conference is as competitive as ever, and every game from here on out carries postseason implications. But with Melton rounding into form, the Warriors have another reliable two-way guard who can help carry the load - especially in those gritty, grind-it-out matchups that tend to define the stretch run.
The Warriors know who they are. Now it’s about execution. And if Melton continues trending the way he has, he might just be one of the key reasons this team avoids the play-in and makes a real push when it matters most.