Horford reveals how the shorthanded Warriors' late-game defense fueled their comeback against the Grizzlies.
The Golden State Warriors continue to find ways to win games without their top players, and Monday night was no different.
Golden State trailed the Memphis Grizzlies by as many as 17 points before storming back for a 114-113 victory at Chase Center.
Even with Stephen Curry sidelined and Jimmy Butler done for the season, this group keeps finding a way to pull out close games, and it starts with the defense in the closing minutes.
It is the kind of fight that will matter down the road if Golden State wants to make noise in the playoffs.
Veteran big man Al Horford was right in the middle of it all, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, nine rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a team-best plus-24 in 26 minutes.
After the game, Horford reflected on the closing group's performance and how the team locked in late.
"I thought it was good on the defensive end, we found good rhythm there," Horford said. "On offense we could have been a little sharper. I feel like they did a good job all night just kind of speeding us up and bothering us offensively. One of the keys was we didn't turn it over towards the end, we were mostly getting shots most of the time and that's always helpful."
The Fourth-Quarter Surge
The Warriors (29-25) trailed 113-103 with just over four minutes left before closing the game on an 11-0 run, as the Grizzlies (20-32) did not score a single point in those final four minutes.
It was similar to what happened in Phoenix last Thursday, when the Warriors erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Suns 101-97.
Horford was huge down the stretch, finishing plus-14 in eight fourth-quarter minutes.
His steal on Cam Spencer in the final seconds sealed the deal after Gui Santos hit a go-ahead layup with 19 seconds remaining.
Post-Deadline Identity Taking Shape
The Warriors have been shorthanded for weeks, playing without Curry (knee) and Butler, who underwent ACL surgery on Monday.
The team also traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield at the deadline to bring in Kristaps Porzingis, who has yet to debut due to Achilles tendinitis.
Despite the roster shakeups, this group has shown real fight.
Seven players scored in double figures against Memphis, with Pat Spencer leading the way with 17 points and seven assists, while Podziemski, Santos, and Horford all chipped in 16 apiece.
The team's defensive identity has been the biggest reason for their recent wins.
Holding opponents to just 15 fourth-quarter points in back-to-back games is impressive, and Horford's presence as an experienced anchor in the closing group has been key.
Looking Ahead
At 39 years old and averaging 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists this season, Horford is not going to jump off the stat sheet every night, but his impact in these closing lineups has been clear.
The Warriors host San Antonio on Wednesday before heading into the All-Star break.
The hope is that both Curry and Porzingis will be ready when the team gets back, and if Golden State can stay healthy and keep playing defense like this, they could be a tough out down the stretch.