If you woke up wondering what was the warriors score last night, you’re probably either a die-hard Dubs fan or someone tracking the chaotic bloodbath that is the Western Conference standings. Basketball is weird. One night Steph Curry looks like he’s discovered the fountain of youth, and the next, the bench unit decides to turn the ball over like they're handing out flyers on Market Street.
Last night, the Golden State Warriors faced off against the Houston Rockets in a game that felt more like a playoff preview than a mid-week January slog. The final score was Warriors 112, Rockets 108. It wasn’t exactly a masterpiece, but in the NBA, a win is a win, especially when you're fighting for seeding in a conference where two losses can drop you from the fourth seed to the play-in tournament.
Breaking Down the Warriors Score Last Night
The game started out looking like a blowout. Golden State came out swinging, hitting five of their first seven shots from deep. Andrew Wiggins, who has been a bit of a question mark lately with his consistency, actually looked engaged. He finished the first quarter with 9 points, and for a second there, it felt like the 2022 championship version of "Wiggs" had returned from a long vacation.
But then the second quarter happened.
Houston is young, fast, and honestly, kind of annoying to play against if you’re an older team like the Warriors. Alperen Şengün started dominating the paint, making Kevon Looney and Draymond Green work for every single inch of hardwood. The Rockets went on a 14-2 run that erased the Warriors' early lead faster than a bad parlay loses money. By halftime, the vibes in Chase Center were... tense.
The Third Quarter Surge
Everyone knows about the legendary "Warriors Third Quarter." It’s that stretch where Steve Kerr says something magical in the locker room, and the team comes out playing like they’ve been possessed by the spirits of 73-9. Last night was no exception. Brandin Podziemski provided a massive spark off the bench. He isn't the fastest guy on the court, and he certainly isn't the tallest, but he has this uncanny ability to be exactly where the ball is going to land.
The Warriors outscored the Rockets 32-21 in the third. Steph Curry, who had a relatively quiet first half, finally found his rhythm. He didn't just score; he manipulated the entire defense. He’d drive, draw three defenders, and kick it out to a wide-open Moses Moody or Buddy Hield. It’s the gravity of Steph that really defines the warriors score last night, even when he isn't the one putting the ball through the hoop.
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Why This Game Actually Mattered
You might think a four-point win over a developing Houston team isn't a huge deal. You’d be wrong.
The West is a nightmare. As of today, January 15, 2026, the gap between the top teams and the bottom of the playoff bracket is razor-thin. If the Warriors had dropped this game, they would have slid down to the 8th spot. Instead, this victory keeps them firmly in the hunt for a top-six seed, which is crucial because nobody—literally nobody—wants to be in the Play-In Tournament. The fatigue of those extra high-stakes games before the "real" playoffs start can ruin a veteran team's chances of a deep run.
Draymond Green's defense in the final two minutes was a masterclass. He blocked a Jalen Green layup that would have tied the game, and then immediately started barking at the Rockets bench. It’s that edge that makes the Warriors dangerous. They might be older, and they might have some defensive lapses, but when the game is on the line, they still have that "championship DNA" people love to talk about on TNT.
The Bench Performance
Let's talk about the second unit because they almost blew it, then saved it. Jonathan Kuminga had a bit of a rough night. He struggled with foul trouble early and never really got into a flow. On the flip side, Trayce Jackson-Davis was phenomenal in his limited minutes. He’s becoming the rim protector this team desperately needs.
If you look at the box score from the warriors score last night, you'll see a lot of balanced scoring:
- Steph Curry: 27 points, 6 assists
- Andrew Wiggins: 18 points, 5 rebounds
- Brandin Podziemski: 14 points, 7 rebounds
- Draymond Green: 8 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks
That 8/10/9 stat line for Draymond is the most Draymond Green thing ever. He doesn't need to score 20 to be the most influential person on the floor.
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The Reality of Golden State's Defense
We have to be honest here. The Warriors' defense isn't what it used to be. Back in 2017, they were a suffocating wall of switching defenders. Now? They’re more like a very smart fence with a few holes in it. They rely on intelligence and positioning because they’ve lost a step in raw lateral quickness.
The Rockets exploited this in transition. Whenever the Warriors turned the ball over, Houston was gone. Amen Thompson is a blur in the open court, and there were several sequences where the Warriors' veteran core just couldn't get back fast enough. Steve Kerr looked visibly frustrated on the sideline during these stretches.
However, they make up for it with elite communication. You can hear Draymond yelling coverages from the nosebleed seats. They forced 16 Houston turnovers, and those points off turnovers were essentially the difference in the game. Without those extra possessions, the warriors score last night probably would have been a loss.
Looking Ahead: Can They Keep This Up?
The schedule doesn't get any easier. They’ve got a back-to-back coming up against the Nuggets and the Mavs. Playing Nikola Jokić and then Luka Dončić on consecutive nights is basically a form of basketball torture.
The big question is health. Steph had a slight limp toward the end of the fourth quarter after a collision under the rim. He stayed in the game and hit the clinching free throws, but Warriors fans are collectively holding their breath until the injury report comes out later today. If Steph misses any significant time, this team’s offensive rating drops off a cliff.
The rotation also seems to be tightening. Kerr is leaning more on his veterans as the season hits this mid-way point. It’s a gamble. You want the young guys like Kuminga and Moody to develop, but you also can't afford to drop winnable games in a conference this competitive.
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Actionable Takeaways for Warriors Fans
If you're following the Dubs this season, don't just look at the final score. There are deeper trends at play that will determine if this team is a legit contender or just a first-round exit.
- Watch the Turnovers: If the Warriors stay under 13 turnovers, they win about 80% of their games. When they get sloppy and hit 18 or 20, they lose to even the bottom-feeders.
- Wiggins' Aggression: Keep an eye on Andrew Wiggins' shot attempts in the first quarter. When he’s aggressive early, it opens up everything for Steph and Hield. When he disappears, the offense becomes too predictable.
- The Standings Rabbit Hole: Stop checking the standings every five minutes. The West is going to be a shuffle until the final week of the season.
- Injury Management: Expect "General Soreness" to pop up on the injury report for guys like Draymond and Steph over the next two weeks. It's a long season, and the staff is prioritizing April over January.
Knowing what was the warriors score last night is just the start. This 112-108 victory over Houston was a gritty, ugly, necessary win. It showed that the Warriors can still close out tight games, but it also exposed the athletic gap they have to overcome against the league's younger rosters.
Next up is Denver. That’s the real litmus test. If they can hang with the Nuggets, maybe there's one more deep playoff run left in this dynasty. If not, the trade deadline rumors are going to start getting very loud, very fast.
Stay tuned to the late-night box scores and the injury reports. The ride isn't getting any smoother.
Next Steps for Tracking the Warriors:
- Check the official NBA injury report at 1:00 PM PT today to see the status of Steph Curry's ankle.
- Monitor the Western Conference tie-breaker scenarios; the Warriors currently hold the head-to-head edge over Houston, which could be massive in April.
- Keep an eye on the trade market—general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has been active in talks regarding a backup big man before the February deadline.