The Golden State Warriors looked headed to the play-in at the All-Star break. Then, they traded for Jimmy Butler and went on a torrid 17-2 stretch to reach as high as the fourth seed at one point. But a bad loss to the San Antonio Spurs at the buzzer ultimately sent the Dubs to the play-ins.
Your Main Man: Stephen Curry
Early in the season and at different points of the year, Curry looked like a beaten man but still averaged 22.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.6 APG, and 1.4 SPG. But he has picked things up and bumped his scoring to 24.5 points on top of 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks. That said, it’s also fair to surmise that Curry will raise the bar now with postseason glory at stake and that he’s due for some big games.
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Surefire Studs: Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green
This was Andrew Wiggins’s spot early in the season, and now Jimmy Butler III takes over for him. Butler’s season averages are close to what Wiggins was putting up in November—17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.4 steals—but it’s also playoff time, which wins Playoff Jimmy is soon to be activated. That Butler is a 20-point-per-game scorer who can and will do it all to win.
Green, on the other hand, is the kind of player you want for winning basketball as he makes an impact on both ends of the floor. Some of the things he does don’t necessarily reflect on the stat sheet, but some do, like the 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 block he contributes on a game-by-game basis. Green’s rebounds and stocks are particularly valuable in fantasy.
Low Cost, High Value Picks: Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga has always been anointed as the Warriors’ next star. He’s shown flashes, and yet he remains inconsistent and sometimes head-scratching. But getting him and his 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks at this tier is as close to a win as you’d get. And with Butler taking on that second star role, Kuminga might just break out when the Dubs need him the most.
Brandin Podziemski started slow—very slow, actually—this season but has picked up his game late, routinely dropping 18–20 points in the Warriors’ last 20 games. For the season, he averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals, and those aren’t bad numbers for a low-cost pick. He’s also built up considerable momentum so he might actually play even better moving forward.
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