Warriors have set NBA standard for passing, shooting
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors revolutionized NBA offenses.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson became the greatest shooting backcourt in history as Golden State broke the NBA 3-pointers record, making 13.1 per game.
The league has since gained ground beyond the arc — Utah set the 3-pointers record (16.7) last season — as organizations load up on long-range shooters with the ability to defend on the perimeter. In the past five seasons, 24 teams have surpassed the Warriors’ 2015-16 3-pointer mark.
What clubs haven’t replicated is an offensive scheme that delivers such consistent open looks to the greatest shooters in the game.
In 2015-16, Golden State became the first team in 23 seasons to average 28 assists per game. No team since has surpassed that mark — except the Warriors, three times. The 2016-17 Warriors dished 30.4 assists per game — the only 30-plus team since the 1984-85 Lakers.
Even in 2019-20, when Golden State ranked 28th in both scoring and 3-pointers, the team ranked ninth in assists (25.6). Last season, Golden State ranked first in assists as Draymond Green’s average spiked to 8.9 and Curry returned from injury. The Warriors ranked third in 3-pointers (14.6 per game), led by the emergence of Jordan Poole (1.9 per game on 35.1% shooting) and Andrew Wiggins (2 per game on a careerhigh 38%).
Free-agent signing Otto Porter Jr. provides another deep threat this season — and, like Thompson, he’s a shooter with size. Forward Juan Toscano-Anderson shot better than 40% from 3point range last season and ranked third on Golden State in assists (2.8). Golden State drafted guard Moses Moody, who shot 46.2% from beyond the arc in the preseason.
But it’s Thompson, who once scored 37 points in a quarter, who can bring elite shooting to an offense that hasn’t forgotten how to deliver open looks.