Golden State Warriors: Key dates to watch in first half of season

The Golden State Warriors are ready to tackle the 2020-21 NBA season. Here are some key dates to pay attention to.

The time is nearly here. Anticipation has been building for the Golden State Warriors to return to title contention since the beginning of last season. After a rugged 2019-20 campaign and a nine-month layoff – the Dubs are ready to hit the hardwood again.

Except, the season won’t go as usual. Because of the ongoing COVID pandemic, the Warriors will have to play under new circumstances in an ever-changing schedule. The league has released the first half of its 72 game season. Let’s look at some key dates to watch for.

December 22 – Opening Night

There’s no overlooking the importance of opening night for the Warriors. While yes, the outcome won’t hold more significance than the result of any other game this season – but getting out first look at this team is something we won’t forget.

The Warriors have a drastically different roster than they did a year ago. Newcomers like Kelly Oubre Jr. and James Wiseman will make their debut while Stephen Curry makes a long-awaited return.

Above all else, the Warriors’ first match will be against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. It goes without saying that this will be a passionate battle between the two title-contending squads. How sweet would it be to open the season by taking down KD?

January 10 – 10th Game of the year

By January 10, the Warriors will have played their 10th game of the season. With some heavyweight matchups scattered through this stretch, our outlook on the team could be shifted entirely.

It’s possible the Warriors walk away from their game in Toronto with a 3-7 record. On the flip side, they could have a winning percentage with huge victories over championship-caliber teams. Whichever side they end up on will set the tone for the rest of the season.

January 18 – First meeting with Lakers

At the end of the day, the Warriors won’t return to the top of the mountain if they can’t knock off the king. The Los Angeles Lakers are the reigning champs and the team to beat this season.

The Warriors will get their first look at LA on January 18. If all is going well, both teams will be slowly transitioning from the early stages of the season to full stride by the time they clash in mid-January.

A LeBron James versus Curry matchup is always worth tuning in to. But, the importance of gaining an edge is even more important now that the two reside in the same conference. Beating the Lakers here could make a difference when jockeying for home-court advantage later in the year.

February 8 – Smooth sailing

The Warriors will open their season with a number of tough games early on. Thankfully, they should enjoy a nice stretch of smooth sailing against lesser competition beginning on February 8.

From here, the Warriors will play 9-of-11 games against lottery teams and first-round exits. This run is highlighted by back-to-back matches with the San Antonio Spurs, two games versus the Orlando Magic, two meetings with the Charlotte Hornets and one-time showdowns with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.

The only teams the Warriors have to worry about during this stretch are the Miami Heat and Nets. Other than that, the Dubs can coast to the easiest portion of their schedule and gain momentum heading into the second half of the season.