The Golden State Warriors aren’t easing into the new season. The league’s early schedule leaks have them front and center from the jump — right where the NBA wants them.
On Oct. 21, opening night, Golden State heads to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on NBC. Shams Charania dropped the news Thursday, with the Oklahoma City Thunder also hosting the Houston Rockets as part of a doubleheader.
For the Warriors, it’s a stage built for stars. Stephen Curry against LeBron James — again — if LeBron is still in purple and gold. Jimmy Butler on the big stage. And Luka Dončić gearing up for his first full season as a Laker, bringing a new kind of electricity to an already storied matchup. The first regular-season NBC broadcast in over two decades makes it even bigger. The NBA is setting this one up to feel like an event, because it is an event.
Splash Brother Set for Christmas Day Return
A couple of months later, Golden State gets another spotlight. The NBA’s holiday tradition will feature the Warriors hosting the Dallas Mavericks in one of five Christmas Day games.
And it’s not just any Mavericks team. It’s Klay Thompson returning to the Bay for Christmas — not for the first time, but always with extra meaning. It’s Anthony Davis bringing his two-way dominance into Chase Center. And it’s Dallas’ new No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg, getting his first taste of the NBA’s biggest regular-season stage.
Butler will be in his first Christmas game as a Warrior, while Draymond Green will almost certainly approach it like a playoff matchup. Everything about this one screams drama before the ball even goes up.
The rest of the day’s slate:
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Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
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San Antonio Spurs at Thunder
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Rockets at Lakers
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Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Warriors in the NBA’s Biggest Moments
Opening night in L.A. and Christmas in San Francisco. The league couldn’t make its intentions any clearer — the Warriors are still must-see TV. The Oct. 21 game against the Lakers is an instant measuring stick, a chance to spoil the opening for a Western rival and set the tone for the season.
Months later, the Christmas Day clash with Dallas could have playoff seeding implications. It’s also a chance to see how this Warriors group stacks up against a retooled Mavericks team led by Davis, Thompson, and Flagg.
The Warriors wanted to be in these games. Now they have them. National TV. High stakes. And all eyes watching.
