Golden State Warriors Will Attempt to Recreate Winning Formula from 2022 NBA Finals Run

The Golden State Warriors made an epic and surprising run to the NBA Finals in the 2021–22 season. After missing the playoffs entirely for the two previous seasons, the Warriors returned with their veteran core, as well as experienced role players, and took the league by surprise.

Part of this surprise was that the Warriors started the season on a red-hot streak. After the first 54 games of the season, they had a record of 41–13, making them one of the top teams in the league. Then age caught up to them. They ended the season with a 12–16 record but still secured the third seed in the West. And, most importantly, they entered the playoffs healthy.

The Warriors are hoping to recreate this winning mix for the 2025–26 NBA season. They’ve got their veteran core of Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green. They picked up more experienced bench players for depth, deciding not to rely too much on youth. They are also going to try to start this season strong.

That’s part of why the Warriors have been playing their veterans during the preseason. The Warriors want this team to gel quickly, get off to a hot start, and then have the latter half of the season to rest and get ready for a deep playoff run.

Can the Warriors pull off the unlikely twice? The 2021–22 team was a bit younger, and so were Curry and Green. Replacing Andrew Wiggins with Butler is an upgrade. Al Horford can play the Otto Porter Jr. role. Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield can do a lot of what Jordan Poole did. So it’s definitely possible.

Every NBA championship requires a bit of luck. The Warriors definitely got some in the 2021–22 season. If things break similarly this season, they definitely have the right mix of players to take advantage.