Though the scoreboard read 114–83 in favor of the Golden State Warriors on Sunday at Chase Center, the game itself lacked beauty and flow. The team struggled to find rhythm early but closed strong against an exhausted Indiana Pacers squad.
Indiana’s injury list looked endless, and their only win of the 2025–26 NBA season came shorthanded against these same Warriors. Coming off a back-to-back after facing the Nuggets in Denver, the Pacers appeared fatigued from the outset.
Golden State seemed to sleepwalk through most of the first three quarters, but a furious push late in the third and into the fourth changed the game’s momentum. The Warriors outscored the tired Pacers 39–18 in the final frame.
Jimmy Butler served as the driving force for Golden State’s offense. In just 30 minutes, he tallied 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, finishing +19 for the game and nearly posting a triple-double.
Veteran center Al Horford, 39, played his best game yet in a Warriors uniform. After missing all his three-point attempts earlier in November—including 0 of 7 in his previous appearance—he finally found his mark, helping stabilize the team’s offense.
Boring can be beautiful.
It wasn’t the flashiest victory, but with Steph Curry sidelined, Golden State proved it could win through balanced effort and timely execution.
Author’s Summary: Golden State overcame a sluggish start and missing stars with a late surge led by Butler and Horford to dominate an injury-depleted Pacers squad.