Golden State guard Gui Santos addressed the challenges of competing without key teammates following Sunday’s 110-107 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “I think it’s just, you know, it’s really tough win games without your main players, you know, but the way that we’ve been competing out there…that’s a good takeaway from this game,” Santos said.
Santos highlighted the contribution of younger players filling in during the absence of stars. “We got to keep playing hard and doing what we doing until we got everybody back,” he added, noting that the return of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis will change the team’s dynamics.
When asked about the coaching staff’s guidance, Santos said, “They’ve been saying the same thing for us to play hard, for us to keep competing because as soon we got everybody back, we got to keep the same spirit and they are going to come back and see like all this spirit.”
The guard acknowledged the pressure of high-leverage situations and learning from mistakes. “It’s definitely…been a long time that I don’t be in this situation, you know, as a kind of having the ball in my hand and doing all trying to find something,” Santos explained. Reflecting on a misread late in the game, he said, “I missed the last pass for QP. That was a bad pass for me. So, you just learn it…next time I’m going to try to do the right play.”
Santos also emphasized his focus on team roles over personal statistics. “I’m really there just to play for the team…grabbing offensive rebounds, that’s how I get to the minutes. I was just hustle plays, offensive rebounds, getting extra possession for us,” he said.
Looking ahead to the return of the Warriors’ core, Santos noted the adjustments needed. “When we got Steph back, everybody going to be doubling on him…that’s even better for me because it’s going to open up the space more,” he said, adding, “If they say to me to stay spaced and do whatever I need to do, I will do too.”
Despite the fifth consecutive loss, Santos framed the experience as growth for the younger players in the rotation. “It’s good to me to have this experience in the NBA at this level, the best basketball in the world,” he said, pointing to the long-term benefits of learning under pressure.
Golden State relied heavily on reserves as Curry, Seth Curry, Horford, Green, Porzingis, and Melton were unavailable, while Brandin Podziemski, Quentin Post, and Santos led the scoring. The Warriors remain 32-35, navigating a challenging stretch in the Western Conference, and will visit the Washington Wizards Monday night before the return of key players reshapes the rotation.
