Ask Brandin Podziemski to explain his tireless hustle and penchant for impacting every area of the box score, and the 2024 No. 19 pick will tell you he can’t describe it. On the afternoon of his holiday duel against the defending champions, though, he didn’t have to; the scoreboard, stat sheet, and stunned murmurs from the Denver Nuggets’ crowd spoke volumes for him. Having already hunted down Denver’s once-threatening lead, Podziemski sets his pursuits on his fifth steal of the game, opting for the stealth route in ripping Aaron Gordon’s rebound away before quickly laying it in to finish a lightning-quick defense-to-offense sequence. In providing the Warriors with a three-point advantage with eight minutes remaining, Podziemski made the type of play that ultimately came to define his night, as he recorded 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, five steals, and three 3-pointers — just NBA history’s 25th player and first-ever rookie to construct that box score — leaving his imprint everywhere. Foul trouble would ultimately doom the Golden State Warriors’ aspirations of a sixth-straight Christmas Day win, but not before putting forth a considerable effort on December 25, 2023. · Dec 25, 2023