Warriors achieve historic franchise feat during Steph’s injury absence

Warriors achieve historic franchise feat during Steph’s injury absence originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors have been without superstar point guard Steph Curry for half of their games to begin the 2024-25 NBA season, but that hasn’t stopped Golden State from making history along the way.

Riding high at 5-1, the Warriors have made 103 3-pointers, the most in franchise history through the first six games of a season.

Golden State’s excellent perimeter shooting in Curry’s absence is a testament to the incredible depth the Warriors have amassed, with a handful of offseason acquisitions offering immediate returns on investment.

Most notably has been Buddy Hield, who was acquired in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer. Hield has accomplished an unprecedented feat of his own, becoming the first player in NBA history to make at least 27 3-pointers in their first six games with a team.

Through six games Hield has drained 30 3-pointers, tied for second in the NBA with Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, and trailing only Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards’ 32 makes from beyond the arc. Hield has done it at a remarkably efficient clip as well, knocking down 51.6-percent of his 3-point attempts this season.

Hield has been a consistent scoring threat to begin his Warriors tenure, dropping at least 27 points three times in six appearances for Golden State. It’s a welcomed sight for the Warriors, who had to wait 38 games last season before a player other than Curry scored at least 27 points three times.

Golden State ranks top-five in both 3-pointers made (103) and 3-point percentage (40.1-percent), while looking like a totally revamped offense in the early stages of the 2024-25 season. The Warriors ball distribution looks like the Golden State teams of old, tied for the NBA lead with 30.7 assists per game.

Whether or not the Warriors can sustain this high-octane offensive output over the course of a season remains to be seen, but to come out of the gates this strong while being without one of the greatest players in the sport’s history is an impressive feat in its own right.

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