Golden State Warriors: Five takeaways from the first six games

The Golden State Warriors are .500 after six games. What are some takeaways from the first two weeks of action for the former champions?

The Golden State Warriors are roughly exactly where they are supposed to be. Perhaps those most optimistic fans were expecting four or five wins in their first six games, but for a team expected to finish just above .500, 3-3 seems about right.

The Warriors have played four road games to just two home games, and all three of their losses are to postseason teams from a year ago, including two title contenders in the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. The point differential is still lopsided, but it’s early.

Looking deeper than the box score, what have we learned about the Warriors in their first 13 days of the 2020-21 season? How is Stephen Curry doing with the mantle of sole offensive engine on this team? How does second overall pick James Wiseman look? Can this team build on a rocky start to make the playoffs?

Here are five takeaways from the team’s first six games.

1. Stephen Curry is still a superstar…but he’s also mortal

After the team’s rough start to the season, two-time MVP guard Stephen Curry was discussed by all of the talking heads around NBA media as a player who could not “do it on his own.” After just a handful of games his career narrative was being rewritten, and players who have never won anything such as James Harden and Russell Westbrook were being placed on a pedestal.

Curry shut them all up on Sunday night, dropping a career-high 62 points to beat the Portland Trail Blazers. In a flash he is now third in the league in made 3-pointers, undercutting any hint of a shooting slump. After six games he leads the league in points per game, is third in usage, and his team is .500.

There is a conversation that can be had about those players best equipped for raising a team’s floor versus those who can unlock a team’s ceiling. We know that Curry is one of the greatest ceiling-raising players of all time, and his ability to win titles with two different versions of the Warriors speaks for itself. We should also wait longer than a few inconsistent games at the start of a wild season before writing him off as the guy who can make it happen on a non-contender. Wardell Stephen Curry II is absolutely still a superstar.