“There are very few really good teams in this league without really good benches,” said Adams, who pointed to the depth of teams like the San Antonio Spurs and the resurgent Atlanta Hawks. “It’s almost a prerequisite. And I think the planning of these benches on the part of some teams has gotten a lot more attention.”

The Warriors’ reserves have been able to exert pressure once Curry and Thompson head to the bench. Just ask the Nuggets, who were blown out by the Warriors last week after Golden State’s bench mounted a 15-0 run in the second quarter, accounted for 67 points over all and shot 62.5 percent from the field.

Just as important, the strong play of the bench has helped limit the season-long wear and tear on Curry and Thompson. After averaging 36.5 minutes last season and 38.2 minutes in 2012-13, Curry was supplying just 32.9 minutes a game through Saturday — an average that put him a distant 47th in the league.

“It absolutely has a cumulative effective,” said Alvin Gentry, an assistant. “Over 82 games, you’re talking about an additional 400 minutes on your body. If you can eliminate those, it gives you a huge chance of succeeding in the playoffs.”

Consider, also, the team’s practices, in which the starters often scrimmage against the reserves — by design. Those games can be competitive, but in a fraternal way. Adams likened the Warriors to a group of free-spirited skateboarders. (His son, he said, was a skateboarder.)

“There’s an unusual level of camaraderie here,” said Adams, who has been an assistant on staffs around the league for more than 20 years. “They like to compete, and they like to play. But it’s a different environment from what I’m used to. The players enjoy each other.”