LOS ANGELES – For the first time since the playoffs in May, Steph Curry ran off screens for jumpers, Jimmy Butler drew fouls, Draymond Green made his perfect defensive rotations and Jonathan Kuminga flew through the air.
The months of speculation, the countless weeks of discourse, the need for endless hypotheticals mercifully came to an end.
Over the last week, the Warriors played real, actual basketball: three preseason games – two with the Lakers and one against Portland.
The veteran starters, plus newcomer Al Horford, played roughly 15 minutes a night in each of the first two games at Chase Center.
Coach Steve Kerr sat Curry, Butler, Horford and Moses Moody on Sunday in the team’s first road test of the preseason in Los Angeles.
Sweeping conclusions cannot be taken from such a small sample, but there is information to be gleaned from what are still professional basketball games featuring the best players in the world.
Here is what we learned from the first week of Warriors basketball:
Curry-Horford connection is real
Golden State Warriors’ Al Horford (20) passes the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter of an NBA preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Steph Curry was incinerating the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs when he was felled by a hamstring injury that ended his season.
Five months later, Curry picked up where he left off. He shot 5 of 7 against the Lakers at Chase Center, and was a respectable 3 of 7 against Portland, both in around 15 minutes of gametime.
Those numbers are nice, but his instant chemistry with Horford was even more encouraging. The 39-year-old center immediately popped with his passing, finding Curry on a highlight give-and-go against the Lakers.
In an offense predicated upon running Curry off screens, Horford’s ability to set picks and make quick and accurate passing reads is perfect for the system, and his famed off-the-catch shooting brings an element the Warriors have long sought at the center position.
Horford had three assists and blocks against the Lakers, and although he did not have such gaudy stats in the second game, his playmaking eye and defense remained obvious.
Wings flying high
Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) drives past Los Angeles Lakers’ R.J. Davis (55) in the first quarter of their preseason NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
After arriving in February via a blockbuster trade, Butler has had an entire offseason to acclimate himself to the Bay Area, and he has looked sharp in his limited playing time. Perhaps his most valuable contribution to the Warriors’ motion attack is his ability to bring the game to a halt while he shoots free throws.
The 36-year-old shot four foul shots in the first preseason game and a whopping eight in just 17 minutes while facing Portland.
He has also shared the floor with Jonathan Kuminga, creating a pairing that had major spacing issues last season but looked decent in limited minutes last week.
To Kuminga’s credit, he took a pass-first approach to the first two games, attempting only eight shots total while, at times, almost overpassing.
He had four assists in the opener and grabbed 11 total rebounds in the first two games.
With his new $46.5 million contract, the fifth-year forward has made it clear through both interviews and his play that he is doing his best to fit Kerr’s ideal role for a player who also wishes to showcase his isolation scoring arsenal.
But with the ball-dominant veterans sitting out for the first road game, Kuminga was afforded a chance to have more of a featured role.
He scored 13 points on eight shots in 22 minutes. Such nights might become frequent this season, as the veterans are expected to only play anywhere from 60 to 70 games.
Moses Moody taking a leap?
Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody (4) shoots a three-point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of their preseason NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
On a team featuring four future Hall of Famers and an uber-gifted athlete who wants to score, finding shots can be difficult.
But Moses Moody, embracing his role as the team’s top defender, has also found a way to make an impact on offense. After shooting 38% from long range as a purely 3-and-D wing last season, the fifth-year guard has been more aggressive in the preseason.
He scored a team-high 19 points in the preseason opener, and then put up 12 shots in the second game. He had a nice blow-by of Deandre Ayton in the opener, and is not hesitating to let it fly.
Other notables
Kerr has tried out a number of lineups that are not likely to be seen with any regularity once the games count. He threw out Brandin Podziemski at point guard with Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, Kuminga and Quinten Post against the Blazers, which allowed Podziemski to get reps at point guard.
Will Richard has not wowed statistically, but he has been a willing defender. The second-round pick out of Florida also made spectacular fastbreak passes in both games at Chase Center.
Undrafted rookie guard LJ Cryer had quite a week. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of an epic comeback against Portland, and then celebrated his birthday by having Chase Center serenade him at Thursday’s open practice.
Horford really is Mr. Versatility when it comes to lineups. He has allowed Green, Kuminga and Post to slide to power forward in his minutes on the floor.