The Golden State Warriors were the powerhouse of NBA basketball for the last decade. Since 2015, the Warriors have won four titles and made eight Finals appearances. In addition, the Warriors reframed modern basketball, led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. However, nothing lasts forever. The Warriors went 46-36 last season, did not advance past the Play-In, and Thompson left for Dallas in the offseason. It seemed the era of the Warriors was over. The start of the 2024-25 season presupposes that may not be the case.

The Warriors have started the season 4-1. They’ve done that with Curry only playing in three games, and averaging just 18.3 points per game. The team is 2-0 without Curry, so, who has stepped up?

While Curry is the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made, Buddy Hield is close to joining the top 20. He is leading the Warriors with 21.2 points per game while making 50% of his 3-pointers. 

Meanwhile, Brandin Podziemski is leading the team at 29.2 minutes per game. He’s posting averages of 10.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per contest. Podziemski is one of six Warriors who have averaged double-digit points so far this season.

If you are looking for reasons to pump the brakes, you can find them.

The Warriors beat the Trail Blazers and Jazz on the road and beat New Orleans twice at home — both games after Dejounte Murray’s injury in the season opener.

While the schedule has been favorable thus far, this next stretch will challenge them. It starts on Saturday with a visit to Houston. During this road trip, they also play the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Thunder. Then, they return home to face the Mavericks. 

There’s a good chance Curry will return during this trip. If the Warriors have a successful road trip, we may have to consider them title contenders once again. Some things never change.