Gui Santos shines with decisive basket and ensures Golden State Warriors victory over Grizzlie

Brazilian winger Gui Santos consolidated his excellent phase in the main basketball league in the world by being the protagonist of Golden State Warriors’s victory over Memphis Grizzlies. In a match marked by overcoming, the Califórnia team overcame the absence of its biggest star to close the score at 114 to 113 on Monday night. The Brazilian player was responsible for the basket that guaranteed the definitive turnaround in the final seconds of the clock, igniting the fans present in the local gym.

The match presented dramatic contours for the San Francisco team, which faced serious difficulties during the first three periods of play. Sem count on Stephen Curry, sidelined by a knee injury, the group needed to find new ways to score and organize their defense against an aggressive opponent. The following points detail the dynamics of the match in Califórnia:

• Memphis Grizzlies dominated the field and opened up a comfortable lead of 16 points.
• The Warriors recorded 23 wastes of the ball, which made offensive fluidity difficult for most of the time.
• The reaction began only in the last quarter, with a much more solid and compact defensive posture.
• Gui Santos remained on the court for 30 minutes, demonstrating the trust placed in the coaching staff.

For the lead ⚡️@Chase|| Play of the Gamepic.twitter.com/iFGtLpgtdb

—Golden State Warriors (@warriors)February 10, 2026

Brazilian protagonism at a crucial moment in Califórnia

Gui Santos’s performance was fundamental not only for the final point, but for the constancy demonstrated throughout the time he was on the court. The Brazilian finished the match with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists, numbers that placed him as one of the central pieces of the tactical scheme used in the absence of the usual starters. Sua infiltration capacity and positioning in offensive rebounds were crucial in keeping the team alive in the dispute when the score seemed irreversible.

The moment of greatest impact occurred just 26 seconds from the end of the match, right after an offensive rebound by veteran Al Horford. The ball fell to the Brazilian who, with calm and precision, executed a free layup to put Golden State ahead for the first time in a long time. Esta play sealed the fate of the match, as Memphis Grizzlies were unable to convert their shots in the two remaining possessions before the clock ran out.

Defensive performance and collective contribution of the Warriors

Golden State Warriors’s turnaround would not have been possible without a drastic change of attitude in the last quarter of the match. Além to the individual brilliance of Gui Santos, players like De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody played vital roles in pressuring opposing playmakers and forcing passing errors. Essa defensive intensity allowed the 16-point difference to be gradually reduced, transforming a scenario of imminent defeat into a balanced and physical contest.

The team’s coach highlighted that the group’s unity was the difference in overcoming the technical adversities presented at the beginning of the duel. Mesmo with the execution errors, the team maintained the necessary calm to execute the game plan in the final minutes, prioritizing possession of the ball and careful selection of shots. The presence of Al Horford also brought the necessary experience to organize the bottle in moments of high competitive pressure.

Memphis Team Stats and Individual Highlights

Memphis Grizzlies, despite the bitter defeat in the last game, presented a consistent volume of play during almost 40 minutes of the match. Ty Jerome was the great statistical highlight of the visiting team, ending his participation with 19 points scored and distributing 7 assists to his teammates. Memphis’s strategy focused on exploiting the quick transitions generated by Golden State’s ball errors, which resulted in a secure lead until the beginning of the final period.

The inconsistency in long-distance shots at the decisive moment ended up costing the Tennessee team dearly. Nas had two last opportunities to regain the lead, the Warriors defense closed the spaces, forcing hasty shots that did not find the basket. Essa defeat interrupts a positive sequence for Memphis, which is now looking for internal adjustments to maintain competitiveness in Conferência Oeste against direct opponents.

Reactions after Gui Santos’s decisive basket

In a press conference held shortly after the game ended, Gui Santos expressed his satisfaction with the result and described the feeling of deciding a game of this level. The player emphasized that the energy of the last quarter was what drove the squad to fight for every lost ball. Para the winger, the triumph symbolizes the collective effort and ability to overcome of a group that is playing for each other, regardless of who is on the court.

The Brazilian used the expression “icing on the cake” to define the emotional value of his final tray within such a difficult recovery context. Ele highlighted that, although the team started the match without the ideal rhythm, the fighting spirit demonstrated in the last 12 minutes is the standard that Golden State seeks to maintain for the remainder of the regular season. The recognition from his teammates and local fans after the final whistle confirmed the importance of his current role in the franchise’s rotation.

Situation in the table and upcoming league commitments

With this positive result, Golden State Warriors reaches the mark of 29 wins and 25 losses in the current NBA regular season. Esse performance places the team in eighth place in the hotly contested Conferência Oeste, a zone that guarantees a direct place or participation in the play-in tournament, depending on the next rounds. Consistency at home has been a determining factor in the team remaining at the top of the table despite problems with injuries to key players.

The team’s calendar remains intense, with the next challenge scheduled for Thursday, February 12th. Warriors will face San Antonio Spurs at 9pm, Califórnia local time, seeking to maintain the momentum and climb even further in the general classification. The technical committee’s expectation is that the return of some injured players will occur gradually, but Gui Santos’s recent performance guarantees the coach a reliable option for moments of greater physical and technical demand.

Absence of Stephen Curry and leadership in the locker room

The absence of Stephen Curry, due to a knee injury that took him out of All-Star Game, forced a change in the leadership dynamics within the squad. Gui Santos commented on the star’s leadership style, describing him as someone who does not talk excessively, but who leads by example and constant presence. Sem its main scorer, other athletes needed to take on the responsibility of organizing offensive plays and keeping the group’s morale high during moments of disadvantage on the scoreboard.

This transition of responsibilities was visible in the way Golden State distributed its ball possessions in the second half. Instead of centralizing the game on just one individual, the team looked for the free man and exploited Memphis’s defensive weaknesses one-on-one. The victory without their main star serves as an injection of confidence for the reserve and rookie players, who have proven to have the ability to sustain the franchise’s competitive level in adverse situations.