The Golden State Warriors will enter the 2025-26 NBA season with a clear directive in mind: Win a championship. It's the goal for all 30 teams, whether realistic or otherwise, but Golden State has gone all-in on a core that can only realistically plan for one season at a time.
Thankfully, the Warriors will have an early opportunity to prove that they're legitimate contenders via an early meeting with the defending NBA champions.
Golden State has built one of the best on-paper trios in the Association with Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green. Curry is a two-time MVP, Green is a former Defensive Player of the Year, and Butler is a five-time All-NBA and All-Defense honoree who has twice led teams to the NBA Finals.
Having already won a playoff series despite playing less than half of the 2024-25 regular season together, the Warriors have high hopes for what 2025-26 can yield.
The Western Conference runs through the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, after back-to-back dominant seasons and a championship in 2024-25. Oklahoma City secured the No. 1 seed in 2023-24 at 57-25, and upped the ante with a 68-14 record and a title this past season.
The Warriors will test whether or not they can compete with the dominant Thunder in just their 12th game of the 2025-26 regular season.
When your screensaver ~and games~ align 🤩
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) August 14, 2025
Our full 2025-26 schedule is HERE@KPThrive || 2025-26 Schedule Release pic.twitter.com/DFJKDiuu0s
Consider Nov. 11 one of the most important dates of the entire 2025-26 season.
Warriors travel to play Thunder for first time in 2025-26 on Nov. 11
A case could be made that the Warriors were a Curry hamstring injury away from facing the Thunder in the 2025 Western Conference Finals. Golden State won Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs, but Curry's injury derailed their momentum.
As a result, the Warriors fell in the second round and were left wondering if they could measure up against the eventual NBA champions after all.
The task of doing so has since become more complicated. Golden State was previously due to benefit from vastly superior postseason experience, including the championship pedigree of Curry, Green, and head coach Steve Kerr.
Oklahoma City has now completed the journey to winning a title, however, which has thus at least dampened the effects of Golden State's primary advantage.
Thankfully, the core in place has never been known to back down from a challenge. Curry is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, Butler has put teams on his back and elevated his game in the postseason, and Green is a defensive force of nature.
The question facing the Warriors is whether or not they'll be able to supplement their talent with enough support to defeat Oklahoma City in a seven-game series.
The promising news is that Golden State handed Oklahoma City two of its 14 losses during the 2024-25 regular season. The roster was admittedly different, as the Butler trade hadn't been completed, but there may be a mental edge working in their favor.
Regardless of whether or not the Warriors have an advantage over the Thunder, their dreams of winning a championship will likely rely on their ability to defeat the defending NBA champions. The first test arrives Nov. 11.