The Golden State Warriors have faced significant setbacks this season with key players sidelined, including Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury and Steph Curry missing nine recent games due to a knee issue. These challenges have created new chances for others on the roster, notably Gui Santos, who has recently elevated his assists on the court, reflecting his growing role in the team’s offense.
Although Santos is averaging 1.7 assists per game over the entire season, his output in the past five contests has jumped to 4.6 assists per game, signaling a clear increase in his involvement in playmaking.
Gui Santos Embraces Expanded Playmaking Duties
When asked about taking on more ball-handling responsibilities, Santos expressed enthusiasm about his expanded role.
“Yeah, I’m loving it because not that I don’t like the other part. I love to just be on the NBA floor, but when you’re on the NBA floor and you’ve got a little bit more freedom to find teammates and either go to the basket and do all that, that gives you so much more joy to play. So, I really love it, the momentum.”
—Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors
Team Energy Boosted by Enhanced Passing
The Warriors have seen a notable upswing in team assists during this recent stretch, with three games out of five featuring 37 or more assists. The highlight came in a Sunday victory over the Denver Nuggets, where Golden State tallied a season-best 42 assists. This contrasts sharply with the first 54 games of the season, during which the team reached that assist threshold only twice, illustrating improved ball movement and teamwork.
Expectations with Returning Key Players
Santos recognizes his current role will shift once Steph Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis return to the lineup. He remains optimistic about the team’s depth and shared success.
“Of course, we know when we have Steph and Kristaps that we’re going to be a lot different, but we still have a great team,”
Santos said.
“Everybody [has] been playing together, everybody’s been playing well. In the last couple games, we had a lot of players score more than 10 points, so that’s a big step for us right now.”
Upcoming Matchups and Playoff Implications
The Warriors will face the Los Angeles Lakers this Saturday, aiming to close a 3.5-game gap as the eighth seed looks to catch the sixth-seeded Lakers in the standings. With 23 games left in the regular season, Golden State is relying on contributions from players like Gui Santos to maintain competitiveness and keep playoff hopes alive.
