The 2016–17 Golden State Warriors season was the 71st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 55th in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the climax season of the Warriors’ dynasty, they won their fifth NBA championship, and second in three seasons, setting the best postseason record in NBA history by going 16–1.[2] This Warriors team is widely considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history. They entered the season as runners-up in the 2016 NBA Finals, after a record breaking regular-season in 2015–16. With the landmark acquisition of free agent and 7-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant in the offseason, the Warriors were hailed as a "superteam" by the media and fans, forming a new All-Star "Fantastic Four" of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.[3][4][5] The Warriors broke over 20 NBA records on their way to equaling their 2014–15 regular-season record of 67–15, their second most wins in franchise history.
Golden State won the Pacific Division title and Western Conference Championship for the third consecutive season. The Warriors became only the second team in NBA history to win 30 road games in back-to-back seasons, joining the 1995–96 and 1996–97 Chicago Bulls. Stephen Curry set numerous three-point NBA records this season; including most three-pointers made in a single game with 13 and most consecutive games (regular-season and postseason combined) with a made three-pointer with 196.[8] Curry also surpassed 300 three-pointers in the regular-season for the second time in NBA history; he finished with 324.[9]
Draymond Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award at the NBA Awards, the first time a Warrior has won it. Kevin Durant won the NBA Finals MVP award, the third time a Warrior has won it. The Warriors won the Team of the Year Award at the Espy Awards. Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were all named to the All-Star Game, the first time Golden State have had four All-Stars and just the eighth time in NBA history a single team has had four players in the game.[10] The Warriors were the only team with multiple players named to the All-NBA Team this season, with Curry, Durant and Green all selected. Bob Myers won the Executive of the Year Award, his second win in three years. The Warriors became the fastest team in NBA history to clinch a playoff berth since the playoff format changed in 1984.[11]
On August 21, the United States beat Serbia 96–66 at the Rio Summer Olympics to win the Gold medal. Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green joined Chris Mullin (in 1992), as the only Warriors players to capture Olympic Gold medals. Durant led the team by averaging 19.4 points during Team USA's 8–0 run to victory.[15]
The Warriors lost their opening preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on October 1, they then beat the Clippers, Kings, Nuggets, Lakers (twice) and Trail Blazers, to finish preparation for the season with a 6–1 record. Kevin Durant led the team in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game, followed by Stephen Curry (19.7) and Klay Thompson (18.0). On October 20, Golden State finalized their 15-man roster, with the addition of free agent center JaVale McGee.
Regular season
The Warriors opened the season on October 25, 2016, with a 29-point home loss to the San Antonio Spurs in which Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 35 points.[16] They would respond by winning their next 4 games, including a 26-point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on November 3. This marked the first and highly anticipated meeting between former teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant scored 39 points in the win, the most by any player debuting against his former team.[17]
After having his streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer come to an end the previous game, Stephen Curry set a new record of 13 three-pointers made in a single game during a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on November 7.[18]
On January 26, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were all named to the All-Star Game, the first time Golden State have had four All-Stars and just the eighth time in NBA history a single team has had four players in the game. Golden State's Steve Kerr coached the Western Conference team.[10]
On February 25, with the Warriors winning against the Brooklyn Nets,[19] they secured a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season, the first team in the league for the second consecutive season, and the fastest in the NBA history, beating out their record the previous season by two days.[20]
Postseason
In the playoffs, the Warriors clinched the top seed in the playoffs for the third successive year. The Warriors swept the Portland Trail Blazers in their first round, 4 games to 0, even when Kevin Durant was out for Games 2 and 3. In the semi-finals round, the Warriors were up against the Utah Jazz for the first time since the 2007 Semi-finals round. In Game 3 of the series, Kevin Durant scored a playoff-high 38 points with the Warriors as he led the Warriors towards a 3–0 record against the Jazz.[21] In Game 4, the Warriors opened up with 39 points in the first quarter as Curry and Thompson combined for 51 points to lead the Warriors to a complete sweep against the Jazz. Green also recorded a triple-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Warriors.[22] In the conference finals round, the Warriors faced the Spurs. In Game 1 of the series, the Warriors rallied back from 25 points down as they beat the Spurs, 113–111, to keep the postseason record unbeaten with 9–0.[23] In Game 3, the Warriors defeated the Spurs, 120–108, to take a 3–0 series lead and improved to 11–0 for the postseason, becoming the third team in NBA History to start a postseason with 11–0 record, joining the 1988-89 Lakers and 2000-01 Lakers.[24] The Warriors also swept the Spurs, thanks to Curry's 36 points, to reach their third NBA Finals in a row for the first time in franchise history. They also improved to 12–0 record in the postseason, the best record in NBA History.[25] The Warriors won its fifth NBA Championship by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–1 in the Finals; it was the first time in NBA history two teams have met for a third consecutive year. The Warriors are the first team ever to start 15–0 in the playoffs and their fifteen-game win streak to start the playoffs set the record for most consecutive postseason wins in NBA history. Their 16–1 record is the best playoff record in NBA history, besting the 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers.
Most consecutive regular-season games with twenty or more points: 72 (Kevin Durant, joint-fourth with Michael Jordan on all time NBA streak list. Streak ended November 10, 2016 when Durant scored 18 against the Denver Nuggets)[8]
Most consecutive games (regular-season and postseason combined) with a made three-pointer: 196 (Stephen Curry, streak ended on November 4, 2016, against the LA Lakers, with Curry going 0 for 10 from three-point range)[8]
Most consecutive regular-season games with a made three-pointer: 157 (Stephen Curry, previous record of 127 held by Kyle Korver)[26]
Most consecutive regular-season games with a made three-pointer on the road: 117 (Stephen Curry)[8]
Most consecutive playoff games with a made three-pointer: 75 (Stephen Curry)[8]
First player to score 60 points in a game in under 30 minutes: Klay Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes against the Indiana Pacers on December 5, 2016, the first player to do this in the shot clock era (since 1954–55)[8]
First player to record a triple-double while scoring fewer than ten points: Draymond Green (12 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals)[8]
Most three-pointers made in a four-game playoff series: 21 (Stephen Curry, against the San Antonio Spurs)[8]
Team
Best record in NBA postseason: 16–1 (.941, bettering the 00–01 LA Lakers 15–1)[2]
Longest winning streak in the postseason: 15 games[8]
Most games without back-to-back losses in regular-season: 146 (from April 9, 2015 – March 2, 2017). Previous record of 95 was held by the Utah Jazz.[8]
First team to have four players hit four three-pointers in a single game: Curry, Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all hit four three-pointers, first time in NBA history a team has done this.[8]
Most combined three-point attempts in a single game: 88 (Both the Warriors and the Houston Rockets took 44 attempts each on December 1, 2016.)[8]
Most games with a 40-point winning margin or higher in regular-season: 3 (tied with five other teams for NBA record)[8]
Most players in the All-Star Game: Four, equalling the record shared by seven other teams in NBA history.[27]
Most points in a playoff game, first quarter: 45 (tied with three other teams)[8]
Playoff point-differential per game entering NBA Finals: +16.3 (largest winning margin in NBA history)[8]
Fewest turnovers in an NBA Finals game: 4 (Game 1, tied with two other teams)[8]
Most three-pointers in an NBA Finals quarter: 9 (Game 3)[8]
Most three-pointers in an NBA Finals half: 12 (Game 3)[8]
Franchise records
Individual
Most steals in a game: 10 (Draymond Green, NBA record is 11)[8]
Most consecutive games with a made three-pointer at home: 107 (Stephen Curry, NBA record is 132 by Kyle Korver)[8]
Only Warriors players to score 60 points or more in a game: Klay Thompson scored 60 points against the Indiana Pacers on December 5, 2016. He joins Wilt Chamberlain, Steph Curry, Rick Barry, and Joe Fulks as the only players in franchise history to score 60 or more points in a game.[8]
Team
Point-differential per game in regular-season: +11.63 (fourth highest in NBA history)[8]
Most games with 30+ assists in a regular-season: 50 (previous best was 43 set in 2015–16 season. The NBA record is 52 by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1984–85 season)[8]
Most assists in a game: 47 (most assists in a game in the NBA since the Phoenix Suns had 47 in the 1991–92 season)[8]
Most assists per game in regular-season: 30.4 (fifth highest in NBA history)[8]
Most assists in a regular-season: 2,491 (fifth most in NBA history)[8]
Most games in a row with 30+ assists: 10 (the Charlotte Hornets hold the NBA record with 13 set in 1989)[8]
Most games in a season with 40+ assists: 3 (most in the NBA since the 1996–97 Chicago Bulls had 3)[8]
Most three-pointers attempted in a game: 48 (against the Charlotte Hornets on February 1, 2017. The Warriors shot 21-of-48 (.438)[8]
Fewest turnovers in a playoff game: 7 (three times this postseason, against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 3 and Utah Jazz in Game 1 and Game 3, equaling a mark they set on April 8, 1967, at St. Louis)[8]
Most assists in a half in the postseason: 23 (in Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs)[8]
Playoff point-differential per game: +13.5 (second largest winning margin in NBA history)[8]
^Mike Brown served as interim head coach during the playoffs from April 22 until June 1 (Game 3 of the first round until Game 1 of the Finals), while Steve Kerr recovered from back surgery complications. He led the Warriors to an 11–0 record.[1]