It’s been a turbulent start to the season for the Golden State Warriors, but the team’s performance in its last two games can certainly be considered a high point. Without their three core players in Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, the Warriors beat the Cavaliers on Friday and then beat the Bulls on Sunday without Curry or Green again. 

The driving force behind Sunday’s 123-91 defeat of the Chicago Bulls was Brandin Podziemski, who led the Warriors with 21 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Podziemski had an efficient night from beyond the arc, making 5-of-9 3-point attempts while also collecting two steals on the defensive end. 

Following the game, Podziemski explained that he’s been getting off the ball earlier in recent games at the request of Steve Kerr. He also noted that the Warriors have still been up and down in their shot-making despite the fact that they’ve seemingly found a rhythm offensively.

“I just try to make the right play every time as much as possible,” Podziemski said. “That's really what I'm focused on, every play. I think we've been up and down in terms of shot making, but we're getting the same quality looks, which is most important over time."

At one point in Sunday’s game, the Warriors allowed a 17-1 run but then responded with a 21-2 run of their own to put themselves back in the driver’s seat and in position to win the game. Podziemski made it clear that the Warriors never lost confidence and that NBA basketball is just a game of inevitable runs and how you respond to them defines the makeup of your team.

“It's a game of runs,” Podziemski said. “We pretty much dominated the whole game up until that point. At some point, they're going to make a run. For me in those moments, I saw when we played OKC, how we went on a big run and they stayed calm. That's what championship teams do.”

Another key reason the Warriors have been able to string together consecutive wins while shorthanded is their recent play on the defensive end, as they’ve held each of their last two opponents under 100 points. Podziemski explained that it’s the Warriors' mixture of zone and man that has given the team its recent edge.

“Just mixing man and zone,” Podziemski said. “Playing hard. Trying to limit teams to one shot every time down the floor, and create some turnovers here and there, just consistently being solid.”