The Golden State Warriors are in survival mode right now, grinding out wins while waiting on the returns of Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis. Monday night’s 114-113 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty - and in this league, that counts just the same in the standings.
Down 108-95 with just under eight minutes to play, Golden State looked like they were on the verge of letting this one slip. But what followed was a scrappy, high-effort 19-5 run that flipped the script.
The Warriors leaned on hustle, second chances, and some unexpected heroics to claw their way back. And in the end, it was Gui Santos - yes, Gui Santos - who sealed the deal.
Let’s walk through that wild final sequence.
The last offensive possession for Golden State was pure chaos. De’Anthony Melton got tied up but managed to win the ensuing jump ball.
GUI SANTOS WINS IT FOR THE WARRIORS 🔥
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 10, 2026
Golden State went on an 11-0 run for the win.pic.twitter.com/6mMTl0I5sz
From there, it was a scramble. Al Horford missed a layup at the rim, then missed a tip-in.
He kept battling, grabbing his own rebound again, but lost his balance and went to the floor. Somehow, in the middle of that mess, Horford stayed inbounds and got the ball to Santos.
That’s when the 21-year-old forward showed some serious poise. He didn’t rush. Instead, he pump-faked GG Jackson into the air and calmly knocked down the go-ahead bucket - the kind of composed finish you don’t always see from a young player in a high-pressure moment.
That shot gave the Warriors the lead for good, and the win was theirs.
Now, it’s fair to say Memphis didn’t exactly help their own cause down the stretch. The Grizzlies rolled with a small-ball lineup in crunch time - GG Jackson, Jahmai Mashack, Javon Small, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cam Spencer - and that opened the door for Horford to absolutely dominate the glass late. Golden State didn’t have to crash the boards with numbers because Horford was doing it himself.
It also raised some eyebrows that Memphis didn’t have either Scotty Pippen Jr. or Ty Jerome on the floor in the closing minutes. Maybe they were on a minutes restriction, but their absence was felt. And with the game on the line, head coach Tuomas Iisalo opted not to call a timeout to draw up a final play - a decision that backfired when the Grizzlies’ last possession went nowhere.
There are questions to be asked about Memphis’ late-game decisions, but credit where it’s due - the Warriors didn’t just wait for the Grizzlies to fold. They forced the issue.
They outworked them. And they found a way to win with a patchwork roster and a whole lot of effort.
In a season that’s had its share of turbulence, this was one of those wins that might not make the highlight reels, but it says something about the Warriors’ fight. And until Curry and Porzingis are back, that fight is going to have to carry them.