Golden State Warriors' Top 3 starts to an NBA season during Stephen Curry's era (through 13 games)
Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors currently have an NBA-best 11-2 record and lead the Western Conference over the Phoenix Suns.
Of course, it is still early in the 2021-22 NBA season, but the Warriors have definitely made a solid statement at the start of the current campaign. Curry and co. will only become even bigger contenders once Klay Thompson returns from injury.
Although the team is coming off a loss against the Charlotte Hornets, the Golden State Warriors' start to the NBA season has definitely been impressive. The Warriors currently have the second-best offense in the league and the best Defensive Rating right now. Both stats make Stephen Curry and co. the most well-balanced team around the NBA.
The Golden State Warriors are currently sixth in the NBA in pace, which has helped them top the league in points per game. But they're also third in opponents' points per game, which is definitely impressive given their fast style of play (101.4 possessions per 48 minutes).
Golden State Warriors' best starts to an NBA season since Stephen Curry's debut
Stephen Curry is the team's leader offensively, and he's also been a good part of the defense with his alert approach at that end. Curry is averaging 28.1 points, 6.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Draymond Green is by his side for company. Green has been spectacular again in terms of playmaking (7.1 assists per game) and defense. His 98 Defensive Rating is the third-best in the NBA at the moment.
Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole have been instrumental offensively, averaging 18 and 17.2 points per game, respectively. Damion Lee has also done a solid job shooting the ball off the bench, as he's made 39.5% of his three-pointers in the season so far. Lee is also averaging 11 points per night.
The Golden State Warriors have not made the NBA Playoffs the last two seasons. But the team has obviously been successful in recent years, winning three titles between 2015 and 2018. They have also put up some stunning regular-season records, especially the 73-9 all-time record in the 2015-16 season.
Can the current Golden State Warriors go on to put up another great regular-season record? Probably. But how did previously successful Warriors teams look after 13 games into the regular season since Stephen Curry's debut? Let's take a look.
The current start to the season is tied for second-best for the Golden State Warriors since Stephen Curry's NBA debut in 2009. It is right up there with some brilliant seasons from Steve Kerr's team.
In this article, we will give you the Golden State Warriors' Top 3 starts to an NBA season since Stephen Curry's arrival in 2009 through 13 regular-season matches.
With Stephen Curry on the team, the Golden State Warriors have started 11-2 or better through 13 games five times. If there is a tie between the records, the best overall record at the end of the year will be ranked higher than the other. Alternately, the most dominant team statistically will rank higher.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#3 2014-15 NBA season | 11-2
Yes, when the Golden State Warriors' dynasty started back in the 2014-15 NBA season, the team went 11-2 throughout the first 13 games of the season. They ended up with an NBA-best 67-15 record in the regular season and ultimately won the NBA championship.
Throughout those first 13 games, the Golden State Warriors started the season 5-0 in Steve Kerr's first year with the team. After dropping consecutive games against the Phoenix Suns and reigning champions the San Antonio Spurs, the team went on a 16-game winning streak. This gave them a record of 21-2 through the first 23 games of the 2014-15 regular season.
Ultimately, the Warriors were dominant in the regular season, guided by the Splah Brothers (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) and Draymond Green. The latter had only become a starter under Kerr.
Stephen Curry ended up winning the NBA MVP award, his first, while Andre Iguodala won the NBA Finals MVP. The Golden State Warriors defeated LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
#2 2016-17 NBA season | 11-2
After losing the 2016 NBA Finals and with the arrival of Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors were on a mission for the 2016-17 NBA season. They were looking to dominate the league as the team's construction demanded.
Their road to winning the 2017 NBA title and a dominant 2016-17 regular season, however, started with a shock. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the new super team 129-100 in their first outing of the campaign.
The Warriors then put up a four-game winning streak before losing to the LA Lakers for a 4-2 start to the campaign. From that point on, Golden State won 12 consecutive games, which gave the team a 16-2 record through 18 matches. In the first 13 games, the Warriors had an 11-2 record.
Ultimately, the team went 67-15 in the regular season and dominated the NBA Playoffs with a 16-1 record, the all-time best record in NBA Playoffs history.
The Golden State Warriors also put up the best Net Rating in franchise history during the 2016-17 NBA regular season (11.6). They led the league in Offensive Rating and finished second in Defensive Rating.
#1 2015-16 NBA season | 13-0
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors put up the greatest regular season ever seen in the NBA, with a 73-9 record. The feat dethroned the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' 72-10 regular-season Win-Loss record.
Of course, the 2016 NBA Finals ended with the Golden State Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead to LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the regular season remains a big talking point in NBA history and the greatest record ever seen from a team in a single season.
To start the campaign, Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors went on a 24-game winning streak, the best start to a season by any team in NBA history. It surpassed the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and the 1993-94 Houston Rockets.
Including the four wins the team had ended the previous regular season with, the Warriors had put up the second-largest winning streak in NBA history. Their record of 28 consecutive regular-season wins was only five behind the 1971-72 LA Lakers (33 straight victories).
After the regular season, Stephen Curry was awarded his second NBA MVP award and he became the first unanimous NBA MVP in league history.
Also read: "Stephen Curry has done something so uniquely different in our league" - Isiah Thomas heaps praise on Steph Curry, compares him to Mark Price