In their 55th game of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors secured a 105-98 victory over the Houston Rockets, unveiling their 33rd different starting lineup. Head coach Steve Kerr introduced Brandin Podziemski into the starting five, joining Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody. Kerr emphasized Podziemski’s recent strong performances and his ability to complement Curry as a secondary ball handler and playmaker.

The new lineup provided an early boost, with the Warriors leading by nine points after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 16 early in the second. However, a familiar challenge arose when Curry rested, leading to a 32-10 run by the Rockets that narrowed the gap to two points with just over six minutes remaining. In response, Kerr announced that Butler will play “all of the non-Steph minutes” moving forward to stabilize the team’s performance during these periods.

In the final minutes, the veteran trio of Curry, Butler, and Green led the team to victory, contributing all 12 points in the last four minutes. Green highlighted Butler’s impact, stating, “We let one get away last night, but this one tonight we would have lost. But just having a guy like [Butler] changes everything for us.”

Butler concluded the game with 19 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Curry led all scorers with 27 points, along with five rebounds and three assists. Green contributed 13 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Podziemski added 18 points, 14 of which came in the first half.

Kerr expressed optimism about the new lineup’s potential, stating, “We think Jimmy’s presence and skill are going to allow us to finish games much better than we have so far this year. Tonight was a good example of that and hopefully a sign of things to come.”