Saturday night at the Chase Center saw the Golden State Warriors deliver a stirring comeback, powered by Stephen Curry’s third-quarter heroics and a resilient team effort, to claim a 123-114 victory over the Utah Jazz. The win, coming just 24 hours after a humbling 37-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, was a testament to the Warriors’ ability to regroup and respond under pressure—especially with their veteran core finally reunited on the court.
Heading into the matchup, the Warriors were riding a wave of uncertainty. Stephen Curry, their superstar point guard, had just been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain and was forced to sit out Friday’s game, marking only his second absence since early December. The Warriors, already missing Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, De’Anthony Melton, and Jonathan Kuminga, suffered a lopsided defeat to the Thunder, falling 131-94. Coach Steve Kerr expressed hope that Curry could return against the Jazz, and fans breathed a sigh of relief when Curry was cleared to play on Saturday night.
But the game didn’t start as the home crowd might have hoped. The Jazz, led by Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George, came out firing. Markkanen was nearly unstoppable in the first half, pouring in 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, while George chipped in 15 points and four assists. Utah capitalized on the Warriors’ early mistakes, building a lead that swelled to 12 points late in the second quarter. The Warriors’ woes were compounded when Draymond Green, returning from a night of rest, was ejected with 2:25 left in the half after receiving back-to-back technical fouls for arguing a non-call on a three-second violation against Utah’s Kyle Filipowski. Markkanen hit both technical free throws, pushing the Jazz ahead 60-48.
“I don’t know what he said to the ref,” Curry said postgame, reflecting on Green’s ejection. “But the consensus in the locker room was it wasn’t enough to get thrown out.” Coach Kerr added, “I know he got the ‘T’ right away, then Kevin (Cutler) tossed him almost immediately. I don’t know what he said, but I assume it was something that Kevin just wasn’t going to listen to.”
Despite losing their emotional leader, the Warriors refused to fold. Jimmy Butler and De’Anthony Melton each drained a three-pointer during a 10-5 run to close the half, trimming the deficit to 65-58 at the break. Golden State’s bench and supporting cast stepped up, with Gary Payton II grabbing a team-high eight rebounds and Brandin Podziemski dishing out eight assists. The Chase Center crowd could sense a shift in momentum as the teams headed to the locker room.
That’s when Stephen Curry decided to take over. After a quiet first half by his lofty standards—just nine points and two three-pointers—Curry erupted for 20 points in the third quarter alone, marking the 45th time in his career he’s scored 20 or more in a single period. He dazzled the crowd with four three-pointers, including a pair from well beyond 30 feet. One was a vintage lookaway triple, another came from the logo, and each seemed to sap a bit more energy from the Jazz. Curry’s scoring outburst powered a 42-31 advantage for Golden State in the third, transforming a seven-point deficit into a four-point lead by the end of the quarter.
“It wasn’t me,” Coach Kerr said, deflecting credit. “It wasn’t my play calls or anything. It’s just Steph. That’s how good he is. Everything felt right in the second half: the spirit, the energy, the level of competitive fight. You’re much more likely to make shots when you have that approach.”
While Curry was the headline act, the Warriors’ supporting cast played crucial roles. Jimmy Butler added 15 points and seven assists, Quinten Post contributed 15 points and five rebounds, and Melton found his shooting stroke with 13 points on 3-of-6 from deep. Gary Payton II chipped in 10 points and was a defensive presence throughout. The Warriors shot an impressive 49.4% from the field and 42.2% from three-point range, sinking 19 triples to the Jazz’s 13.
For Utah, Markkanen finished with a game-high 35 points, continuing his strong campaign, while George added 22 points and nine assists. Brice Sensabaugh and Svi Mykhailiuk scored 12 and 10 points respectively, with Kevin Love pulling down 10 rebounds. The Jazz shot a blistering 58.7% from the field in the first half but cooled off after the break, unable to withstand the Warriors’ third-quarter barrage and defensive adjustments.
Golden State’s victory was their sixth in the last eight games, pushing their record to 19-17 and helping them keep pace in the competitive Western Conference. The win was especially meaningful given the adversity faced: a key player ejected, a double-digit deficit, and the emotional hangover from the previous night’s blowout loss. “When you win, everything is good,” Butler said. “But what I will say, when we weren’t winning all the games like we wanted, we were still together. I think that’s the best thing. Yes, we’re winning now, but through thick, through thin, through the ups and the downs, we were still together.”
Statistically, Curry’s performance was yet another reminder of his enduring greatness. He finished with 31 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 6-of-12 from three-point range, and a perfect 9-for-9 at the foul line, along with five assists, two rebounds, and one steal in 34 minutes. Over his last seven outings, Curry has averaged 28.6 points, 4.9 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.3 made threes per game. Since returning from his earlier ankle injury, he’s played nine consecutive games without a setback, averaging 30.1 points on 46% shooting from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
The game also marked a return to form for the Warriors’ core, with Curry, Butler, Green, and Melton all back in the lineup after missing the previous contest. Their presence was felt not just in the box score but in the renewed energy and cohesion on the court. Draymond Green’s ejection—his ninth technical foul and 22nd career ejection—was a flashpoint, but it ultimately served to galvanize the team rather than derail them.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Warriors had not only secured a much-needed win but had also reminded the league—and themselves—of their resilience and championship DNA. For the Jazz, now losers of three straight and sitting at 12-22, the road ahead looks challenging, but Markkanen and George continue to provide hope for brighter days.
With their veteran leaders healthy and firing, the Warriors look poised to build on this momentum as the season presses on. The Chase Center faithful left buzzing, well aware that as long as Stephen Curry is in uniform, no deficit is ever truly safe.