GSW 140, UTA 124: Bailey Finishes With 50 ESPN FP
Maya Chen
UX Designer ยท Golden State Warriors fan
Warriors Cruise Past Jazz 140-124, Moses Moody Explodes in 25-Minute Blitz
Warriors 140, Jazz 124
Look, I'm not gonna pretend I'm unbiased here. Dubs fan for life, and watching this team execute against Utah felt like watching my spreadsheet formulas finally calculate correctly. Warriors took care of business, and more importantly, several fantasy pieces put in work that's worth paying attention to.
The real story isn't the 16-point win. It's that Golden State found production in places we didn't necessarily expect while their stars took it easy on minutes. That's the kind of game that changes waiver wire traffic for the next week.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Bailey | 50.0 | 42.4 | 19/7/4 | 11.3/3.5/1.7 | +7.7 |
| Keyonte George | 41.0 | 40.7 | 19/6/7 | 24.1/4.0/6.6 | -5.1 |
| Moses Moody | 46.0 | 38.0 | 26/5/0 | 11.2/3.2/1.5 | +14.8 |
| Al Horford | 48.0 | 38.0 | 9/5/8 | 7.0/5.0/2.3 | +2.0 |
| Gui Santos | 47.0 | 36.6 | 16/3/4 | 4.3/2.7/1.1 | +11.7 |
| Brandin Podziemski | 36.0 | 35.1 | 11/8/7 | 12.2/4.6/3.5 | -1.2 |
| Isaiah Collier | 38.0 | 34.8 | 12/4/6 | 9.2/2.5/6.7 | +2.8 |
| Brice Sensabaugh | 42.0 | 34.5 | 22/0/3 | 12.0/2.9/1.6 | +10.0 |
| Lauri Markkanen | 34.0 | 32.6 | 18/3/2 | 27.4/7.0/2.2 | -9.4 |
| Stephen Curry | 33.0 | 32.2 | 27/1/2 | 27.3/3.6/4.9 | -0.3 |
The Warriors Role Players Got Fed
Moses Moody went absolutely nuclear. 26 points on 9-15 shooting with 5 threes in just 25 minutes is the kind of line that makes you check the box score twice. He was +14.8 points versus his season average. That's not noise, that's a guy who got hot and the Warriors' offense found him repeatedly. In a blowout where everyone expects the starters to carry it, Moody turned into the focal point. If he's available in your league, he's worth a look on nights like this, but manage expectations, he's still a reserve. This was variance overperforming his role.
Al Horford had a vintage game from an assist perspective. 8 dimes on 24 minutes is basically 13.3 APG per 36, which is elite stuff. That +5.7 assist bump over his season average matters because it shows the Warriors were running everything through him on the pick and roll. For a guy who averages 2.3 assists a night normally, 8 feels like a floor-general masterclass. Don't get cute and draft him based on this game, but if you need depth at center, he's a streaming option that just proved he can still facilitate.
Gui Santos put up 16 points in 21 minutes and looked competent doing it. That's +11.7 points versus his season average. Here's the thing though, he shot 6-7 from the field. That's unsustainable perfection. He's not going to have that efficiency every night. He's a deep bench piece who had a great game, not a breakout that's gonna change your roster construction.
The Jazz Role Players Also Went Off (Kind Of)
Ace Bailey was the Jazz's best player on a points basis. 42.4 Yahoo points on 19/7/4 is excellent, and that +7.7 point bump is real. But here's the thing, Bailey is still only averaging 11.3 points a season. One good game doesn't make him a consistent source. That said, the 8-15 shooting and 34 minutes suggest he's getting run, and he showed he can make plays on both ends. If you're in a deep league or have an injury, Bailey's worth stashing because he proved he's capable of contributing.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points, going 6-11 from the field with 4 threes. That's +10 versus his average. But 0 rebounds is concerning for a 6'8" forward. The scoring upside is real, the complete lack of boards is a red flag. He's a scorer, not a rebounder, and that limits his ceiling in most leagues.
Keyonte George disappointed relative to his elite season. 19/6/7 on 6-15 shooting is down from his 24.1 PPG average, despite the decent line. He's an All-NBA guy who doesn't have many nights where he underperforms like this. Jazz got blown out, George got shadowed, and the rest followed. Not worth panicking, but worth noting he wasn't the driver tonight.
The Warriors Stars Took It Off the Gas
Stephen Curry put up 27 points but only played 28 minutes and took just 14 shots. That's controlled basketball. He hit 9 of 10 free throws, which kept his total respectable, but the +/- versus his average shows he was actually down slightly on assists (3.6 season avg, only 2 tonight). When the Dubs are up big, they don't need Steph to be a playmaker. He's still money, but this wasn't a statement game.
The Waiver Wire Play
Ace Bailey got added 0.1% in ownership but he's only at 26.1% owned. If your league has deep rosters and Bailey somehow cleared waivers, this game proves he's earned more run. Grab him if you have the space.
Everyone else having good nights? They were all role players in a blowout. Don't overreact. The real tell is whether these minutes stick when it matters. Moody's 25 minutes are context dependent. Horford's assist line works because Utah had no interior presence. Santos had a perfect shooting night that won't repeat.
The Warriors won the game they were supposed to win, and nobody got injured. That's the full box score report.