There are many reasons behind the Warriors becoming one of the early-season surprises in the NBA, but the most meaningful is simple. They are playing well enough to exceed initial projections.After looking largely unready while dropping their first three games, the Warriors have won seven in a row, their longest streak since a seven-gamer in March 2025, shortly after trading for Jimmy Butler III.
While Butler — along with Moses Moody — continues rehabbing, the Warriors have taken advantage of a somewhat exploitable schedule to post a 7-3 record and begin discovering what they can be. They are profoundly imperfect but capable, relatively small but sometimes play big.
As they wake up Monday morning, they sit in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Shortly before the Oct. 21 season opener, we described six objectives that, if met, should result in the Warriors finishing among the top six teams in the West. This is the first of six scheduled progress reports during the season:1) Curry and Porziis combine to play 120 gamesThis goal never had a heartbeat, as Porziis has not suited up, has not been with the team and is much closer to...