What we learned as Steph goes off in Warriors’ big win over 76ers

What we learned as Steph goes off in Warriors’ big win over 76ers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SAN FRANCISCO – The first glimpse of the Warriors in 2025 was Steph Curry sinking a 3-pointer and celebrating like the clock had struck midnight, leaving any bad vibes that tried to creep into the new year behind him and the rest of the team.

Both the shot and celebration were a visual of what the entirety of the night would be in the Warriors’ 139-105 win Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center.

Curry, who was playing with a taped thumb on his right shooting hand, scored a game-high 30 points to go with six rebounds and 10 assists in 30 minutes, shooting 11 of 15 from the field and a perfect 8 of 8 from 3-point range. After scoring 11 points in the first half, Curry in the third quarter exploded for 13 points, making five of his seven shots and all three of his 3-pointers.

His eight threes tied a season high, and are his most ever in a game without a single miss.

An abundance of other Warriors were major contributors to the win, too.

The Warriors shot 60.9 percent from the field, and 56.4 percent from three while holding the Sixers to 42.5 percent overall and 29 percent behind the 3-point line. The Warriors also had 42 assists on 53 made shots.

The Warriors never trailed once, and their 139 points are the second-most they have scored this season, trailing on the 140 they scored in the season opener.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors turning over the calendar with a bang.

Setting A Tone 

Whatever the Warriors ate and drank on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day was exactly what each player needed. The energy was felt throughout Chase Center in the first quarter, and the Warriors raced out to a 35-19 lead through the first 12 minutes.

They were getting stops, playing with pace and hitting shots – three things that didn’t happen in the Warriors’ four-win month of December. The quarter began with a Curry 3-pointer, followed by a Draymond Green layup off great ball movement. Soon thereafter, Dennis Schroder looked the most comfortable he has all season in a Warriors jersey, hitting threes on two straight possessions.

Schroder came into the nine averaging 9.1 points with the Warriors, and then scored nine points in the first quarter Thursday night, going a perfect 3 of 3 beyond the arc. Those three 3-pointers alone are tied for the most he has made in an entire game since joining Golden State. In that span, Schroder also made his 1,000th 3-pointer of his career.

All 13 of the Warriors’ made shots in the first quarter were assisted. They shot 59.1 percent from the field, 63.6 percent on threes and held the Sixers from making any of their seven 3-point attempts.

Balanced Attack

A Curry flurry wasn’t needed for the Warriors to lead by 16 points after the first quarter, and then 16 points again at halftime. Instead, the Warriors received ample contributions up and down the roster.

Steve Kerr’s trimmer rotation resulted in nine Warriors receiving playing time, to which everyone scored and all but one had a positive plus-minus. Only two players, Curry and Andrew  Wiggins, were in double figures after the first half, but six players scored eight or more points. Moses Moody was right behind, scoring six points by making both of his 3-point attempts.

Through three quarters, the Warriors were up to five players who had scored 10 or more points, with Green, Schroder and Jonathan Kuminga joining the party. Seven players in total ended up scoring in double digits, including five who had 15 or more points.

When the Warriors’ depth was lauded at the beginning of the season for being able to go 12, 13 or 14 deep, it understandably wasn’t sustainable. Going nine strong with real production from each player is more than enough.

Dennis The Menace

In his eighth game wearing a Warriors jersey, Schroder was the closest version of the player general manager Mike Dunleavy envisioned when he acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets. An offensive threat and a pest to deal with defensively – this is the kind of combo guard the Warriors needed after De’Anthony Melton went down for the rest of the season.

Schroder, who didn’t play in the fourth quarter, scored 15 points – his most as a Warrior. The veteran guard also added four rebounds, six assists and two steals, leading to a plus-17 in 25 minutes. In his previous seven games with the Warriors, he had a positive plus/minus only once.

The beauty in Schroder’s game was how he fit multiple combinations. The starters were a plus-11 together, outscoring the 76ers 30-19 in 11 minutes. Bringing Kuminga in for Trayce Jackson-Davis and sliding Green to center will be the Warriors’ closing lineup in many games. That group shared the floor for three and a half minutes and outscored Philadelphia 10-5.

Schroder made his imprint on the game on both sides of the ball, building confidence for what could be to come.

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