Gui Santos scoring steadily for Warriors despite shift in how he's being guarded

Golden State forward has become more of a feature in the Warriors' offense despite teams trying to adjust and assign better defensive players to stymie his recent outburst.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos has been scoring more consistently for the team, leading them in scoring in two of their last four games. However, as Santos has become more of a focal point in the Warriors' offense, opposing teams have started to adjust their defensive strategies to try and limit his production, assigning better defenders to guard him.

Why it matters

Santos' increased scoring output and usage has been crucial for the Warriors, who have been playing without both Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler due to injuries. His ability to create shots for himself and his teammates has helped offset the loss of those two star players.

The details

Santos scored a career-high 22 points in the Warriors' recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, attempting a team-high 19 shots. Head coach Steve Kerr noted that teams are now paying more attention to Santos and assigning stronger defenders to guard him, as he has become a bigger threat on the offensive end. Despite the increased defensive pressure, Santos has remained efficient, shooting 65.2% as the team's top driver and finisher since January 28th.

  • On Saturday, March 7, 2026, Santos scored a career-high 22 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
  • Since January 28th, Santos has been the Warriors' third-leading scorer and second in minutes per game (30.5).

The players

Gui Santos

A forward for the Golden State Warriors who has become a more prominent part of the team's offense in recent games, leading them in scoring on multiple occasions.

Steve Kerr

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors, who has observed that teams are now paying more attention to Santos and assigning stronger defenders to guard him.

Stephen Curry

The star point guard for the Golden State Warriors who is currently out with a runner's knee injury.

Jimmy Butler

The star forward for the Golden State Warriors who is currently out with a torn right ACL.

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What they’re saying

“He's creating more shots for himself and for his teammates, so I think he's seeing better defenders now. People are paying more attention to him and not putting their weak defender on him, and they know they have to pay attention to him not only as a crasher, energy guy but as an on-ball triple-threat driver and attacker.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach (sfchronicle.com)

“Now, I feel like they're not pressing me.”

— Gui Santos (sfchronicle.com)

“Very unique player. Very versatile player. Really taking a leap and it's fun to watch.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach (sfchronicle.com)

What’s next

Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, who did not accompany the Warriors to Utah, are on track to play against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

The takeaway

Santos' increased scoring output and versatility have become crucial for the Warriors as they navigate injuries to their star players. His ability to create shots for himself and his teammates has helped offset the loss of Curry and Butler, and the team's opponents are now adjusting their defensive strategies to try and limit his production.