Blue Man Hoop
Fansided

NBA reveals Golden State Warriors’ two main rivals heading into 2023-24

By Peter O'Keefe

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts in front of Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings after making a basket and getting fouled by the Sacramento Kings during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Golden 1 Center on April 26, 2023 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts in front of Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings after making a basket and getting fouled by the Sacramento Kings during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Golden 1 Center on April 26, 2023 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Golden State Warriors may have won four NBA championships in the past decade and been to the playoffs in nine of the last 11 seasons, but there’s a distinct lack of major rivalry with an opposing franchise at present.

Long gone are the days of the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers — a matchup that not only produced four consecutive NBA Finals series, but also saw some classic regular season games albeit only twice per year.

The NBA has given their perspective on the Golden State Warriors’ main rivals with the release of the 2023-24 schedule on Thursday.

Golden State’s most recent rival has been the Memphis Grizzlies, with the two teams garnering a dislike for each other built off a Play-In Tournament meeting in 2021 and second-round playoff series matchup in 2022.

Recent regular season meetings have also produced plenty of agitation, with that spilling over to plenty of off-court back-and-forth between players. However, the rivalry will have almost assuredly cooled after the biggest antagonist, Dillon Brooks, departed Memphis for the Houston Rockets this offseason.

When the NBA introduced its new ‘rivalry week’ last season, the Warriors were scheduled against the Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. Golden State-Memphis was a no-brainer, but the Raptors matchup was a little strange given a lot of time had passed since the 2019 Finals.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies exchange words with each other during the second quarter at Chase Center on December 25, 2022. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies exchange words with each other during the second quarter at Chase Center on December 25, 2022. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

So, what’s on the agenda for rivalry week in 2023-24? Firstly, the NBA has scheduled the Warriors to host the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on January 25. Clearly the league hopes that Sacramento takes Memphis’ place as the rising ‘younger brother’ in a renewed rivalry with Golden State.

The two teams met in the first-round of last season’s playoffs, producing a hard-fought seven-game series where the Warriors ultimately prevailed in a hostile environment. While the series was largely played in good spirits, there was certainly enough confrontation to suggest a major rivalry could be brewing.

The NBA has also scheduled a rivalry week game between the Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. The two met in the second-round of the playoffs, with both retaining hopes of a championship next season.

While the Warriors and Lakers will always be a rivalry of sorts, it’s the Stephen Curry-LeBron James connection that will always be of most attention. As the two biggest faces of the league across the last decade, it’s only appropriate they square-off during rivalry week.

Next. Golden State Warriors lead unwanted part of NBA schedule…again. dark

That game will also take place at Chase Center on January 27, signifying the first matchup of the season between the Warriors and Lakers. Golden State will meet Los Angeles four times over their final 37 regular season games.

Home/Warriors News