Honestly, looking back at the Golden State Warriors' previous year standings from the 2024-25 season feels a bit like recounting a fever dream. If you followed the Dubs last year, you know it wasn't just about the wins and losses. It was about the weirdness. One week they looked like the 2016 juggernaut, and the next, they were dropping four straight games and leaving fans at Chase Center scratching their heads.
The record books show a 48-34 finish. That’s solid. Most teams would kill for a .585 winning percentage in a Western Conference that’s basically a meat grinder. But for a franchise that measures success in banners, finishing 7th in the West felt... different. It was a year of "what-ifs" and a massive mid-season shakeup that changed the DNA of the roster.
Breaking down the Warriors previous year standings
The numbers don't lie, even if they don't tell the whole story. The Warriors ended the regular season with 48 wins and 34 losses. That put them in the 7th spot in the Western Conference. They were third in the Pacific Division, trailing behind both Los Angeles teams—the Lakers and the Clippers—who both managed 50 wins.
It was a step up from the 2023-24 season, where they went 46-36 and missed the playoffs entirely after a painful Play-In exit. Last year, they at least jumped that hurdle. They fought through the Play-In tournament, took down the Memphis Grizzlies in a high-stakes thriller, and grabbed a "real" playoff seed.
- Final Record: 48-34
- Conference Rank: 7th (West)
- Division Rank: 3rd (Pacific)
- Offensive Rating: 115.0 (15th in NBA)
- Defensive Rating: 111.7 (7th in NBA)
Interestingly, the defense was actually the backbone of the team. We're so used to seeing Steph Curry ignite the scoreboard, but last year, Coach Steve Kerr leaned heavily on a Top-10 defense to stay afloat. They allowed 110.5 points per game, which was 8th best in the league.
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The Jimmy Butler experiment
You can't talk about the Warriors' previous year standings without mentioning the trade that shocked everyone. Mike Dunleavy Jr. pulled the trigger on a deal for Jimmy Butler. Yeah, that Jimmy Butler.
Bringing a 35-year-old "Playoff Jimmy" into the mix was a massive gamble. On one hand, you had the ultimate grit-and-grind veteran joining the Splash Brother lineage. On the other, you had to wonder how his style would mesh with Kerr’s motion offense.
It worked. Sort of. Butler provided a secondary scoring punch and a defensive edge that Jonathan Kuminga was still developing. When Butler was on the floor, the Warriors' Net Rating spiked to +3.3. He averaged about 19.6 points and nearly 5 assists, taking some of the playmaking burden off Draymond Green’s shoulders.
That hot start and the November collapse
Early on, it looked like the Warriors were back. They came out of the gate swinging, going 12-3 in their first 15 games. They were blowing teams out. But the wheels started to wobble in late November.
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They hit a four-game losing streak that took the wind out of their sails. Then came December—a month most Dubs fans would rather forget. They had two separate three-game skids and won only four games out of thirteen in one stretch. It was a brutal reminder that an aging core of Steph (37), Jimmy (35), and Draymond (35) is always one minor injury or tired leg away from a slump.
Why the 7th seed was actually a victory
Some people looked at the Warriors previous year standings and saw a decline. I disagree.
The Western Conference in 2024-25 was absurd. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 68 games. Sixty-eight. The Houston Rockets finally put it together and grabbed 52 wins. For the Warriors to weather those mid-season slumps and still finish with 48 wins is actually impressive.
They also found real value in their young guys. Brandin Podziemski continued to look like a draft-day steal, and Trayce Jackson-Davis became a legitimate rim protector. Buddy Hield, brought in to fill some of the shooting void left by Klay Thompson's departure the year before, was a spark plug off the bench. He even had that insane Game 7 against the Rockets where he hit nine threes.
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Playoff run and the Minnesota wall
In the first round of the playoffs, the Warriors faced the 2nd-seeded Rockets. Nobody expected much, but the "Old Guard" had one last trick. They took a 3-1 lead, nearly blew it, and then won Game 7.
But the Western Conference Semifinals were a different story.
They ran into the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota was younger, bigger, and faster. To make matters worse, Stephen Curry dealt with an injury that sidelined him for a chunk of the series. The Warriors won Game 1 but then dropped four straight. It was a cold, hard landing for a season that had so much momentum.
Actionable insights from the 2024-25 campaign
If you’re tracking the Warriors' trajectory, here are the key takeaways from last year's performance that actually matter for the future:
- The Defense is the Floor: Even when the shooting goes cold, Kerr has proven he can build a Top-10 defense with Draymond and Butler. This keeps them in games they have no business winning.
- Health is the Ceiling: The 48-34 record could easily have been 52-30 if not for the December injuries. Managing minutes for the 35+ club isn't just a strategy; it's a necessity.
- The Youth Movement is Real: Podziemski and Kuminga aren't just "prospects" anymore. They are rotation staples. If the Warriors are going to climb higher in the standings this year, it’ll be because these guys take another leap.
- The "Jimmy" Factor: Butler is under contract until 2027. His fit with Steph is the single most important variable for this team's success.
The Warriors' previous year standings prove they are still a threat, but they aren't the invincibles they used to be. They're a gritty, veteran-heavy squad trying to outsmart a league that's getting younger and more athletic every day.