Brandin Podziemski Drops Perfect Quote After Warriors Win

What Golden State coach Steve Kerr described moments earlier, Brandin Podziemski felt in real time.

Following the Golden State Warriors‘ 128–117 upset of the Denver Nuggets, Podziemski explained the internal shift that powered his fourth-quarter takeover — a feeling that mirrored Kerr’s assessment almost point for point.

“I made some shots and felt a little bit like I was in a flow state,” Podziemski said.

The third-year guard scored 12 of his 18 points in the final five minutes to lift the shorthanded Warriors.

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Podziemski Rallies Warriors With Fourth-Quarter Brilliance

Kerr had just finished outlining why Podziemski’s performance mattered beyond the box score — emphasizing balance, decision-making, and letting the game come rather than forcing it.

The numbers supported that view.

Podziemski entered the fourth quarter with just three points on 1-of-10 shooting, struggling to find rhythm as Denver erased Golden State’s first-half advantage. What followed was one of the most decisive stretches of his young career.

He scored 15 points in the final period on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting, spearheading a late Warriors surge that flipped the game in a matter of minutes. The same shots that looked rushed earlier suddenly came into rhythm. The reads simplified. The pace changed.

It was the exact “sweet spot” Kerr has repeatedly pointed to throughout Podziemski’s uneven season.

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Warriors’ Young Star Rising in Big Moment

The dire circumstance elevated the performance.

Golden State played without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Draymond Green, leaving Podziemski with expanded responsibility against a Nuggets team led by Nikola Jokić.

The three-time MVP delivered a sensational 35-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double, a performance that typically decides games on its own. Instead, it was overshadowed by Podziemski’s late takeover as Golden State seized control when it mattered most.

Podziemski finished with 18 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, and nine assists, narrowly missing his first NBA triple-double while posting a game-high plus-19 in nearly 37 minutes.

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Calm Replacing Force

For much of the season, Podziemski’s confidence has drawn scrutiny, particularly after early comments about his long-term role within the franchise. Those words followed him through stretches when shots weren’t falling and responsibilities fluctuated.

Sunday night offered a different look — not louder confidence, but quieter control.

The late-game stretch showed a guard operating without urgency or hesitation, reacting instead of dictating, and letting movement create opportunity. Denver’s defense closed harder. Passing lanes opened. The game tilted.

That sequence aligned precisely with what Kerr described moments earlier.

“When he moves the ball and then gets it back, it’s totally different,” Kerr said. “The defense is closing out. He can use that leverage to get past people, make a pass, score a layup. He’s a really unique player — but he’s still finding his way.”

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A Glimpse, Not a Verdict

Neither Kerr nor Podziemski framed the performance as a breakthrough and neither needed to.

The night stood as evidence of what happens when preparation meets patience. The “flow state” Podziemski described wasn’t bravado. It was composure.

Against a team poised to contend for a championship — even as a three-time MVP authored a historic stat line — the game finally slowed down for Golden State’s young guard.

For one decisive quarter, Podziemski didn’t try to control it.

He let it come to him — and the Warriors followed.

“Everything feels like slow motion,” Podziemski said. “The goal is to always try and find that.”

Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo