Warriors schedule release: Everything you need to know about the 2023-24 season
The NBA released its schedule for the upcoming season. Here's what to know about the Warriors' 82-game slate.
The NBA schedulemakers have ensured there will be plenty of drama to start the Warriors’ 2023-24 season.
The Warriors will open their season Oct. 24 against the Phoenix Suns before heading on the road — where Golden State notably struggled last season — for three games and seven of the next eight. But back to the drama-packed matchup of two teams poised to be among the Western Conference’s best.
There will be plenty of intrigue for the Suns-Warriors matchup on TNT’s Opening Night, from Kevin Durant potentially playing his first game in front of Warriors fans since he left in the summer of 2019 to new Warrior Chris Paul (that’s still weird to write) playing his former team that dealt him this summer to Washington for Bradley Beal. And could Klay Thompson and Devin Booker get into another barking match?
An answer to one of the biggest storylines heading into training could be answered on that night, too: Will Paul come off the bench for the first time of his 18-year career?
With the Warriors returning all five of their regular starters — the league’s best five-man group by net rating — coach Steve Kerr will have a tough call to make. But Paul said that is a conversation that they’ll have once camp starts Oct. 3.
Here’s what you need to know about the Warriors’ 2023-24 schedule:
Early season outlook:
The Warriors went just 3-7 over the first 10 games last year, setting the tone for what would be a disjointed season. Golden State struggled to find consistency and looked like a completely different team on the road verses at home.
We will know early this season whether the Warriors’ road woes are a thing of the past. They play seven of their first 10 games away from the Bay and eight of those opponents were in the last season’s play-in tournament or playoffs. That stretch includes a stop in the Mile High City to play the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
Playoff rematches:
First-round rematch against De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and the Kings:
– Oct. 22 and Nov. 28 in Sacramento
– Nov. 1 and Jan. 25 at Chase Center
Western Conference semifinals rematch against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers:
– Jan. 27 and Feb. 22 at Chase Center
– March 16 and April 9 in Los Angeles
Other games to circle:
Nov. 24 vs. Spurs: Top pick Victor Wembanyama will make his debut at Chase Center, giving Bay Area basketball fans an opportunity to see the 7-foot-5 French phenom and arguably the most hyped NBA Draft prospect since LeBron James.
Dec. 22 vs. Wizards: After being traded to the Wizards for Paul, Jordan Poole will make his return to Chase Center right before Christmas alongside Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, who were also part of that trade. When Poole talked at Summer League last mont,h he had little to say about the Warriors, but there should be plenty of motivation for him to put on a show against his former team.
Dec. 25 at Nuggets: The Warriors will play on Christmas Day for the 12th consecutive year. This will be the second time the Warriors play the defending champions in Denver.
Jan. 15 at Grizzlies: Ja Morant is expected to be back from his 25-game suspension after he was captured on film twice appearing to wave a gun. The Grizzlies always bring out another side to the Warriors, who play Memphis two additional times after this Martin Luther King Jr. Day meeting.
And another thing…
The NBA will hold its inaugural in-season tournament this season, with group play games taking place nearly every Tuesday and Friday in November. Eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played at home arenas on Dec. 4 and 5. The last four teams standing will earn a portion of prize money and will head to Las Vegas for the final two rounds of the tournament, with the championship game set for Dec. 9. All games, save for the championship matchup, will count toward the 82-game regular-season schedule.
The Warriors landed in West Group C along with the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.
Here’s a look at the Warriors’ in-season tournament schedule:
Nov. 3: at Thunder – 5 p.m.
Nov. 14: vs. Timberwolves – 7 p.m.
Nov. 24: vs. Spurs – 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Nov. 28: at Kings – 7 p.m. (TNT)
Back-to-backs
Sorry, Warriors fans in New Orleans — you may be out of luck once again.
The Warriors are slated to play 15 back-to-backs this season, and their only scheduled trip to New Orleans falls on the second night of their first set.
Last season, Golden State sat almost all of its veteran starters in New Orleans on a back-to-back, with the lone exception of iron man Kevon Looney. The news of the Warriors’ only scheduled trip to New Orleans is sure to be a disappointment to Curry fans in the Big Easy, who haven’t seen the two-time MVP play there in either of the last two seasons.
While the Warriors had only three home-home matchups last season, they’ll have six this time around as well as seven sets of back-to-backs taking place on the road. It’s also worth noting that the Warriors will have only four sets of back-to-backs after the All-Star break.
Longest homestand and trip
The Warriors needed all 82 games last season to dodge the play-in tournament and outright secure their spot in the playoffs. If they find themselves in a similar position this time around then they could find themselves in trouble.
The Warriors’ longest trip this season will come March 24 through April 4 when the team embarks on a 12-day trip across seven cities that includes stops in Minnesota, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. They also have one five-game trip before the All-Star break (Feb. 2-8) as well as three four-game expeditions (Nov. 3-8, Jan. 12-17 and Feb. 27-March 3.)
Meanwhile, their longest homestand is a seven-game stretch after Christmas and over New Year’s. From Dec. 28-Jan. 10, the Warriors will host the Heat, Mavericks, Magic, Nuggets, Pistons, Raptors and Pelicans.
Broadcast schedule
The Warriors will make 29 national TV appearances on ABC, ESPN and TNT, starting with their season opener against the Suns on TNT. Their two games in Denver, including on Christmas Day, will be televised on ESPN.
In total, five of the Warriors’ games are scheduled for ABC. They’ll have another 12 on TNT and 12 on ESPN as well as 12 on NBA TV.
Key dates to know
Oct. 3 — Training camp opens
Oct. 7 — Preseason opener vs. Lakers
Oct. 24 — Opening Night: Warriors vs. Suns at Chase Center
Nov. 3 — In-season tournament play begins: Warriors at Oklahoma City
Dec. 4/5 — In-season tournament quarterfinals
Dec. 8/9 — In-season semifinals/championship game in Las Vegas
Feb. 18 — All-Star Game in Indianapolis
April 14 — End of regular season: Warriors’ season finale vs. the Jazz