Honorable Mentions:
Golden State Warriors vs Chicago Bulls: February 6, 2014 (TNT)
Golden State Warriors vs Indiana Pacers: January 20, 2014 (TNT)
Both of these games have their merits, but games against the Eastern Conference just don’t rate as high, even with the scrum between Golden State and Indiana last season and the return of Derrick Rose to the Bay Area. They’ll still be great games, but their importance to the Warriors’ seasons isn’t quite as high.
10. Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat, January 2, 2014
The only game on this list not on some form of national television and a 4:30pm PST start make this a difficult game to catch for those with a busy schedule. Still, it should be a good one. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are all entering contract seasons, looking for their 3rd title in as many years. Warriors fans will remember Draymond Green‘s game-winning layup in Miami last season, and once again this game falls in the middle of a 7-game Eastern Conference road trip. Just like last season, it will be another test of where this team is at about the midway point of the season. The Heat are coming off another championship, and the Warriors are sure to bring their best after putting up a poor showing in their last meeting with the Champs.
9. Golden State Warriors vs Dallas Mavericks: December 11, 2013 (ESPN)
Dallas is just a lowly playoff hopeful in comparison to most of the other teams on this list. The only team not to have made the post-season last year, this game still offers a lot to be excited about. Monta Ellis returns to Oracle Arena with a 3-0 mark against his former team, and he’s sure to have this game circled on his personal calendar. With him comes Dirk Nowitzki, who’s had plenty of history with the Warriors himself. Those memories are sure to make for a raucous crowd, even if the Mavericks are no longer championship contenders.
8. Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets: April 16, 2014 (ESPN)
The Nuggets have taken a step back, but this game could still mean a lot for the Warriors playoff picture. Denver is still likely to factor in to the race, but more importantly, this will likely be the final game of the NBA season. The Warriors will probably be in a tight seeding race down the stretch, just as they were last season. And don’t forget, there’s still a little bit of bad blood between these front courts, and Denver fans won’t be too happy to see Andre Iguodala in a Golden State uniform. This is the final of 4 match-ups between the two teams, 3 of which are nationally televised. Expect another budding rivalry.
7. Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers: October 31, 2013 (TNT)
Don’t misunderstand the placing of this game at number 7 of this list. In all likelihood, the Warriors 4 games against the Clippers will offer some of the best entertainment of the entire NBA season. This one that falls so close to opening night, will be heavily looked forward to by both players and fans. But both teams will be coming off of season openers with the Lakers, and the energy level could take a slight dip after opening night. Doesn’t help that it will be the 2nd game of a back-to-back for Golden State, either.
6. Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets: December 13, 2013 (ESPN)
Last season, match-ups against the James Harden‘s Rockets resulted in some heated talk between the two sides, after Mark Jackson prevented Houston from breaking the team 3-pointers made mark by fouling down the stretch of blowout. Now, that’s probably changed a bit with the addition of Dwight Howard, who isn’t one for confrontation. But Chandler Parsons remains as talkative as ever and both teams are eying a move up the Western Conference standings. Could be interesting how the relationship between these two teams changes from last season.
5. Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers: October 30, 2013 (NBA TV)
The Warriors have opened the season against the Los Angeles Lakers just once in the last 30 or so years (dating back to 1985). That game at the start of the Warriors’ We Believe playoff run, and it began with a 98-110 loss. Similar to now, the Lakers were coming off a pedestrian year and the Warriors had aspirations of usurping them in Western Conference power rankings. That never happened, and here we are 7 years later looking at the same possibility. The interest level of this game changes if Kobe Bryant is healthy to start the year, but for now there’s still enough to put it in the top 5.
4. Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs: December 19, 2013 (TNT)
A rematch of the 2013 NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals. This is the 2nd match-up between the two teams in 2013-2014 season, but it’s the first on national TV. So many games against Tony Parker and Tim Duncan can fall under the radar, but this one likely won’t. The Spurs return to the Oracle environment that they bested near the end of last season, and the Warriors get their first opportunity to redeem themselves to the home fans who stayed and applauded their playoff exit.
3. Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks: February 28, 2014 (ESPN)
This one is obvious. Stephen Curry scored a league-high 54 points against the Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks last season in a losing effort. The Warriors were without Andrew Bogut and David Lee at the time, so the loss wasn’t surprising, but Steph definitely stepped up in their absence. His return to Madison Square Garden will be highly anticipated by fans around the league, not just Warriors and Knicks fans. With his performance there last year, he put his name alongside a short list of all-time greats to score 50 in the famed building. Lee missing a chance to play against his former team last season should bring a bit more to the table as well.
2. Golden State Warriors vs Oklahoma City Thunder, November 14, 2013 (TNT)
After their early departure from the playoffs last season, the Thunder were almost forgotten by the time the Finals rolled around. Depending on the health of Russell Westbrook, they should return to being contenders once again. The Western Conference’s playoff picture is somewhat convoluted, with the Spurs’ stars continuing to age, the Rockets adding Howard, and the Clippers exiting the post-season early. This is fans first chance to see where the Warriors compare with Kevin Durant and what should be the consensus number one team in the West.
1. Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers, December 25, 2013 (ESPN)
Everything about this rivalry seems like it was meant to be. Each team’s two stars play the same positions, and Lee and Blake Griffin, for all basketball purposes, don’t seem to like each other at all. Both teams have come from being one-time lovable losers to looking like they have staying power in the Western Conference Playoffs. Every time these two teams get together it’s a duel between the league’s best point guards in Curry and Chris Paul. Even their coaches share similarities, having been former players who both stepped directly from the announcer’s booth to the bench. The biggest difference seems to be that the Clippers are believed to be a bit further along in the Championship process. Paul is a multiple-time All-Star, and Curry has yet to make the team. Doc Rivers won a championship with the Boston Celtics. The only place they haven’t had more success is in the post-season. Both teams will be out to prove to their division rival who really is the best team in the Pacific.
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