Top 5 opening night moments in Steph Curry and Warriors' history

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors will open the 2025-26 regular season against conference rivals, the LA Lakers. Curry will enter the 17th season of his career with the Warriors, as the season opener is set to tip off on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

There are hardly any better stories in basketball than Stephen Curry’s rise from an underrated college prospect to one of the best players of the modern era. Over the years, the two-time MVP has delivered countless memorable moments for the franchise’s fans en route to four championships.

Last season, Golden State was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, leading to promising changes over the summer. With the additions of Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, and the re-signing of Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors' core of Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler looks set to compete for the title.

With the season opener upon us, let’s look back at the best opening night moments in Steph Curry and the Warriors’ history.

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Top 5 opening night moments for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors

1) 40-point night against New Orleans Pelicans (2015)

NBA: New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn

Fresh off his first NBA championship, Steph Curry opened the 2015-16 season with a 40-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. He finished the game with 40 points, seven assists and six rebounds, shooting 14-for-26, including 5-for-12 from 3-point range.

Curry’s performance on opening night set the tone for the rest of the season as the team went on to win 73 games, posting the greatest regular season in NBA history.

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2) Steph Curry and the Warriors defeat LeBron James and the Lakers after receiving ring No. 4 (2022)

Curry and the Golden State Warriors opened the 2022-23 season with a victory against rivals LeBron James and his Lakers. Heading into the new season, the team was coming off an NBA Finals victory against the Boston Celtics in 2022.

It was an iconic night for the team as Curry cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of his era after receiving his fourth ring. On top of the special ceremony, the Warriors also defeated the Lakers at home, winning 123-109.

Curry recorded a game-high 33 points, adding seven assists, six rebounds and four steals.

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3) 45-point outing for Steph Curry in Warriors home-opener against LA Clippers (2021)

NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn

Steph Curry recorded 45 points and 10 rebounds, defeating the LA Clippers in the Warriors' first game at home during the 2021-22 season. Heading into this campaign, Curry was under much scrutiny from the media because of the team’s struggles following its 2019 NBA Finals loss.

He opened the night with a vintage performance, setting the tone for the season and reminding the league that the Warriors could still compete as long as he was on the team. Curry won his fourth championship with the team a year later.

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4) Steph Curry and the Warriors introduce Kevin Durant (2016)

Following their tough loss in the 2016 NBA Finals, Curry and the Warriors were subjected to a world of ridicule. The Dubs became the first-ever team to blow a 3-1 lead in the Finals, but all the criticism went quiet after they made one of the biggest free-agent signings in NBA history.

The team brought in Kevin Durant in July. He opened the 2016-17 season for the team and combined with Curry to record 53 points. While the Warriors lost their season opener, the team still fielded one of the league's most offensively potent rosters.

This loss marked the start of the KD era in Golden State. Curry and Co. won back-to-back championships with Durant over the next two seasons.

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5) 25-point opening night in Curry’s sophomore year (2010)

Curry vs. Rockets in the 2010/11 season (Credits: Imagn)

Still relatively unknown and scrutinized for his defensive shortcomings and lack of size, Steph Curry was coming into his sophomore season with a point to prove. That’s exactly what he did, opening his second season in the league with a 25-point performance.

Curry backed up Monta Ellis, finishing with 25 points and 11 assists, as the backcourt duo combined to score 71 points. Three seasons later, he led the franchise to its first-ever championship in four decades and the rest is history.