Despite losing Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors have had an impressive start to the 2024-25 NBA season, winning 10 of their first 13 games. Their only losses so far have been to the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers, who have beaten the Warriors twice.
Under head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors have been exceptional, even though their early schedule wasn’t particularly tough. They’ve secured notable wins against both teams that played in last year’s NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, and have handed one of the few losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently lead the Western Conference with an 11-3 record.
What stands out about Golden State’s early success is the balance across the team. Offensively, they’re averaging 119.6 points per game, ranking fourth in the league. This offensive output comes from both the starting lineup and the bench. Stephen Curry leads the team with 23.0 points per game, and despite Kerr using different starting lineups, the starting five averages 63.2 points per game. Meanwhile, the bench, led by Buddy Hield (16.9 points per game) and Jonathan Kuminga (who’s excelled since being moved to the bench), contributes an impressive 56.4 points per game, the best in the NBA.
Defensively, the Warriors are also performing well, allowing just 110.1 points per game, tied for the sixth-fewest in the league. This all-around performance has earned the Warriors high rankings in several NBA Power Rankings.
**Warriors Ranked Among the Top Four in Major NBA Power Rankings**
It’s worth noting that some of these rankings were released before the Warriors’ narrow loss to the Clippers, but given their strong record and overall performance, these rankings are unlikely to change drastically.
– **NBA.com**: Ranked 2nd – John Schuhmann highlights Golden State’s dominance in third quarters, where they’ve outscored opponents by 25.3 points per 100 possessions, the best of any team this season.
– **ESPN**: Ranked 4th – ESPN focuses on Golden State’s deep roster, mentioning key role players Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga, who contribute significantly to the team’s success. Hield is second in scoring with an impressive 46.2% from three-point range, while Kuminga is fourth, averaging 14.0 points per game.
– **CBS Sports**: Ranked 2nd – Colin Ward-Henninger emphasizes Steph Curry’s clutch performance against the Mavericks and praises Draymond Green’s underrated defense this season.
– **Yahoo! Sports**: Ranked 2nd – Yahoo! Sports highlights the Warriors’ convincing wins and recognizes Stephen Curry for continuing to revolutionize the game with his stellar performances.
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