The Warriors secured their 5th win in 6 games after the shootout against the Hornets

It wasn’t really smooth sailing for the Golden State Warriors as they approach the halfway point of the season. They’ve dealt with injuries, age, inconsistency, trade rumors – just about everything under the sun that an NBA team can experience.

But with a 132-125 New Year’s Eve win over the Charlotte Hornets, the Dubs will head into 2026 with an 18-16 record and five wins in their last six games.

Stephen Curry finished with 26 points on 5 of 10 from beyond the arc in his homecoming affair. Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski each added 19 points, and the Dubs got a season-high 61 points off the bench. It was the Warriors’ fifth straight game with at least 120 points, a sign that the offense has recently found a rhythm after an ugly start to the season.

“Our offense has improved drastically. We’re scoring a lot more now,” coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “I feel like we have a better rhythm. Obviously, playing a lot of people, I have a lot of options every night. It’s not easy to decide who to play, but I feel comfortable playing all of them. Our depth is helping us right now.”

Along with Podziemski off the bench, the Warriors added depth in Guy Santos, DeAnthony Melton and Will Richard. In 17 minutes, Santos finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds on a +15 plus/minus, providing plenty of energy crashing the boards and playing against the stars.

And for the second game in a row, Kerr opted to close with Melton and Richard along with the Curry-Butler-Green core. From 3:45 into the fourth quarter, that unit outscored the Hornets 14-7 to secure the victory.

Golden State’s offense is coming together

Inconsistency has been the name of the game for the Warriors offense this season. Prior to this 5-1 stretch, the Warriors ranked 22nd in offensive rating (112.8), Kerr’s biggest concern.

But over the last six games, the Warriors rank 5th in the league in offensive rating (121.0), trailing only the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics in that stretch. And they faced quality defense in that stretch. The Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic rank seventh, ninth, 10th and 11th in the league in scoring defense.

One of the reasons Golden State’s offense has picked up some juice over the past few games is because the rotation has finally solidified a bit. Kerr committed to the same starting lineup for the last seven games (5-2 in that streak), and down the stretch, it simplified everyone’s minutes and roles.

“It helps when guys know who they’re playing with and can develop chemistry and rhythm,” Curry said after their win on Christmas Day. “Especially offensive. Because it changes depending on who you’re there with.”

And of those guys, developing chemistry and rhythm with the team is Melton, who missed the early part of the season rehabbing from ACL surgery. The veteran guard, who the Warriors traded last season after tearing that ACL, has been one of their biggest players since returning.

Per Cleaning the Glass, The Warriors score 14.9 more points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, which leads the team and ranks in the 99th percentile in the NBA. He leads the team with a +16.1 efficiency differential (team points minus team points allowed per 100 possessions). Melton has become a key guy off the Dubs bench with whom Kerr believes he will close.

Next up for the Dubs

The Warriors will return home to face the OKC Thunder, who will start 10 of their next 11 games at home. Golden State has already played 20 of 41 games on the road this season, which bodes well for a team looking to gain an edge in the West.

Other dignitaries

• Draymond Green finished with 10 points and 12 assists, his 160th career double-double and first of the season. 3-to-1 assist/turnover ratio for Green.
• It was Jonathan Cumminga’s ninth DNP in the Warriors’ last 10 games. Kuminga’s trade restriction expires on January 15.
• This was the Warriors’ first game without former assistant coach Chris DeMarco as he officially takes over as head coach of the New York Liberty. DeMarco was Kerr’s longest-serving assistant.
• The Dubs’ 24 three-pointers tied their season high.