Steph Curry and the Warriors established the 3-point era of the NBA in which we currently live. But over a recent 5-game stretch, the franchise hit a 3-point plateau it had never seen before.
Golden State beat the Rockets at home on Saturday with a barrage of 3-point shots, and after the game, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater noted that the win capped a prolific run of 3s that was unprecedented for the franchise.
These are the number of 3-point makes from the Warriors in the past five games: 20, 20, 11, 20, 25. This is only the second time in NBA history that a team has made 20 or more 3s in four of five games and the first time this franchise has done it.
Anthony Slater/The Athletic
As Slater detailed in his postgame write-up, the Warriors are making more 3-pointers per game than ever at 16.7 per contest. A considerable part of the equation is forward Andrew Wiggins. In fact, Wiggins and Curry each hit eight 3s in the same game, the first time two Warriors teammates have done so.
Another eye-popping stat from Saturday night: This was the first time in franchise history the Warriors have had two players make eight or more 3s in the same game. Steph Curry went 8 of 17 and Andrew Wiggins went 8 of 10.
Anthony Slater/The Athletic
Not even the Splash Bros., Curry and guard Klay Thompson, have accomplished that feat. It’s just the third time in NBA history it’s been done. Also, note Wiggins’ efficiency. He made 8-of-10 from distance. On the season, Wiggins’ 3-point percentage is a career-best 44.9 percent.
It’s an astounding rise for Wiggins, who has never shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc. He told reporters postgame that’s his goal because “people look at you different” when you shoot beyond that mark. He’s been the difference as the Warriors make more 3s per game in franchise history.
But Golden State still had to work hard to beat the lowly Rockets on Saturday. Coach Steve Kerr said his team lost their focus, allowing Houston to get back in the game.
You have to figure that as the season rolls along and the pressure to win increases, that focus will come. If the Warriors can keep hitting this many 3s as their intensity rises, they’ll be a championship contender, just as everyone expected after winning it all a season ago.
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