Warriors have plenty to prove during upcoming daunting six-game road trip originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The first two-plus weeks of the 2025-26 NBA regular season has been an obstacle course of a schedule for the Warriors to navigate, trying their damnedest to make it through rough waters to not swim upstream months from now. What they’re about to face next is getting off a plane to a path of fiery coals, only to see a brick wall at the end. 

In less than three weeks, the Warriors already have played 11 games, including three back-to-backs. They’ve boarded a flight for the second night of a back-to-back, hopped on a bus for one and been able to sleep in their own beds only once for a home back-to-back. Their toughest test yet comes Tuesday night against the defending champions before another flight to play the gargantuan future of basketball the next night. 

The Warriors have played six road games thus far, with two being one-offs and the other four coming from two separate two-game road trips, going 1-5. This six-game road trip that features a back-to-back at the front and the end has stops in Oklahoma City, San Antonio (for two games), New Orleans, Orlando and Miami over 10 days for their longest span away from home.

These are trips no team looks forward to. These also are the kind of challenges championship contenders can learn plenty from this early into a season.

Jimmy Butler’s one-word description of the trip is “exciting.” 

“We play some really good teams on the road. But you gotta win some of these to show that you can compete with the best of them,” Butler said. “Obviously if we got 30 (Stephen Curry) our chances of winning goes up drastically. But even if he isn’t ready to go we still got to go out there and we got to compete because it’s very possible that we can win.”

Curry on Sunday night missed his third straight game because of an illness. The Warriors went 1-2 in those games with two consecutive road losses against the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets prior to beating the Indiana Pacers 114-83 back at Chase Center. The 31-point win was the Warriors’ largest margin of victory without Curry since he came into the league.

But it also was against a Pacers team down 10 players, and the game looked like it could be the worst loss of the Warriors’ season until they took the lead late in the third quarter and never looked back. 

The good news for them is coach Steve Kerr after the win said he expects Curry to play Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. Curry went through an intense workout Sunday night on the Warriors’ practice court, and another Monday morning. He was on the bench in street clothes Sunday cheering his teammates on after not traveling to Sacramento or Denver. 

“Yeah, I hope so,” Al Horford said regarding Curry’s impending return. “It changes completely. It changes completely. It’s a privilege, a luxury – whatever you want to call it – but it’s that big of a difference when he’s not in. I know that it’s the NBA and we have to find ways, but we can’t wait for him to get back out there, and hopefully it’s Tuesday.” 

Horford is coming off his best game with the Warriors. He credited Butler for feeding him open passes and pushing him to shoot past any previous struggles, scoring 12 points on four 3-pointers, while also having four rebounds and three blocked shots. The 19-year veteran in his first season as a Warrior understands the gauntlet in front of them, and what it would mean to come out the other side proving themselves as a true threat. 

“I mean, I think it’s significant,” Horford said. “I know it’s still November, but it’s a big challenge for our group and the way to address it, and I know that we will. We’ll take it a game at a time, and we can’t overlook anyone. You know, all I’m thinking about is OKC. They’re playing at home, they play really well, defending champs. 

“So we can’t even think about the rest of it, just have to focus on that first one. That’s going to be great to see kind of where we’re at as a group.”

Though Horford says he doesn’t know which night of the back-to-back in Oklahoma City and San Antonio he’ll play, facing the 10-1 Thunder as close to full strength as possible would be beneficial to everybody. The Warriors felt like they had a real shot against the Thunder last season in the playoffs if they were to make it to the Western Conference Finals and went 2-1 against them in the regular season. 

None of those games were after the Warriors acquired Butler, and Horford, of course, still was on the Boston Celtics. 

There also is a guarantee Horford will miss at least two of the Warriors’ six games on the road since they have two back-to-backs. Curry, Butler and Draymond Green missing at least one game also is a strong possibility. Younger players like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga will have to be to hold the line and push the Warriors forward. 

The 6-5 Warriors enter Monday 19th in offensive rating (114.0) and seventh in defensive rating (111.4), making them 11th in net rating (2.6). Statement wins have been celebrated, and letdown losses have been scrutinized for a team that will have played five back-to-backs in 17 games at the end of the upcoming road trip when no other team will have played more than three by then. 

“Overall, we haven’t played real well. But I’m very confident in this team,” Kerr said. “It’s going to be a tough trip, two back-to-backs. We kind of felt like getting through this early part of the schedule, in one piece, and if we’re healthy and win our share of games, it sets up the rest of the season well for us. Obviously, we gave a couple of games away, but all in all, we’re pretty healthy, we’re going to get there. 

“I can picture the team, I can see what kind of team we’re going to be, but we don’t really have our identity yet.”

What will amount to a successful road trip? 5-1? 4-2? Splitting the six games? 

The level of focus, fire and purpose as a product the Warriors bring to five different arenas in building the identity they want to become will prove as much to themselves and the outside than the record they come home with.

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‘Hella smart' Will Richard earns praise from Warriors after impressive game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Will Richard didn’t need long to make an impact.

In the Warriors’ 114–83 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night at Chase Center, the rookie guard impressed once again, finishing with 15 points in 19 minutes, while adding one assist and one steal. He also knocked down 7 of his 8 free-throw attempts, helping Golden State improve to 6–5 on the season while Indiana dropped to 1–9.

Teammates and coaches continue to praise how quickly Richard has carved out a role.

“It’s amazing because he’ll go from not playing or not having any stretch. And then when he comes in, he’s ready,” Al Horford said postgame. “He’s cutting, he’s hitting threes, he’s getting on the break, he’s defending; he does a little bit of everything. I’ve been very impressed with his maturity and how he’s been able to handle all the tasks that we throw at him because it’s very unpredictable.”

Richard has echoed a simple approach: Do whatever is needed.

“Just making an impact, whether that’s on the offensive or defensive end,” Richard explained. “Spreading the floor and doing stuff like that. I grew up watching the Warriors, so for me, Steph [Curry] and [Draymond Green] and all of them, they made my childhood. So I feel like every time I’m on the court, I need to pay that back by going out there and playing as hard as I can.”

The 22-year-old guard began his college career at Belmont before transferring to Florida. He was selected 56th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Golden State later acquired his draft rights in a multi-asset trade, and Richard signed with the Warriors on Sept. 29, 2025. He made his first career start just weeks later on Nov. 5, scoring a career-high 30 points.

Coach Steve Kerr said that polish was evident from the beginning of training camp.

“Early on in camp, you could see he really knew how to play,” Kerr noted. “He’s constantly making the right cut, the right pass, he’s solid. His fundamentals are fantastic; you can see all the experience he’s had in big games. Will, he’s a ball player, and we’re excited to have him. He’s going to contribute quite a bit for us this year.”

Teammate Jimmy Butler offered his own endorsement, focusing on Richard’s approach.

“He’s hella smart,” Butler said. “But the thing I love most about Will is his ability to listen. You tell him what to do to the best of his ability, he’s going to do it. Whether it’s on offense or it’s on defense. It’s really hard to try to please everybody … but he’s going to do it. And he just looks incredible.”

For a rookie still finding his place, Richard’s impact already is clear — and the Warriors are taking notice.

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In this article, we will analyze the Week 4 schedule to plan for ideal roster management. 

Days with fewer than six games

These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams: 

Thursday, November 13 - TOR at CLE, IND at PHX, ATL at UTA 

Saturday, November 15 - MEM at CLE, TOR at IND, OKC at CHA, DEN at MIN, LAL at MIL 

Teams with more than three games this week

Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:

Hawks (4), Hornets (4), Cavaliers (4), Mavericks (4), Warriors (4), Clippers (4), Lakers (4), Bucks (4), Pelicans (4), Magic (4), Suns (4), Trail Blazers (4), Kings (4), Spurs (4), Jazz (4)

Teams with fewer than three games this week

Consider looking for streaming options if your roster includes players from this team:

76ers (2) 

Top teams to target based on favorable matchups

Clippers vs. Hawks, vs. Nuggets, at Mavericks, at Celtics 

The Clippers dealt with some injury trouble last week but may have a chance to get back on tack with a favorable schedule in Week 4. They kick things off against the Hawks, who give up the league's fifth-most rebounds per game. The Clippers then move on to their toughest matchup of the week, against the Nuggets, where their best opportunity may be to look to get to the line, as the Nuggets give up an average of 26.1 free throws per game. Next, a meeting with the Mavericks, who are giving up the seventh-most offensive rebounds and fourth-most points in the paint. Finally, the Clippers close the week with a game against the Celtics, who are giving up the league's fourth-most free throws and fourth-most offensive rebounds per game. The week's matchup advantages favor the Clippers' big men, as there looks to be plenty of opportunity to pad stats on the glass and in the paint. If Kawhi Leonard remains out, Nicolas Batum should also be in line for a continued boost.

Bucks at Mavericks, at Hornets, vs. Hornets, vs. Lakers

The Bucks open the week with a matchup against the Mavericks, who are having trouble controlling interior scoring and who give up the league's third-most rebounds per game, which is a prime opportunity for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner and Bobby Portis to shine. Moving on, the Bucks face a home-and-home with the Hornets, which presents an advantage to shooters, Gary Trent, AJ Green, and Ryan Rollins, as the Hornets give up the league's fifth-most points, sixth-most three pointers and second-highest three-point shooting percentage. To close the week, the Bucks play host to the Lakers, where there should be a chance for players to pad their stats defensively, as the Lakers give up the league's eighth-most turnovers per game.  

Suns vs. Pelicans, at Mavericks, vs. Pacers, vs. Hawks 

The Suns come into Week 4 on a two-game win streak, but the unfortunate news is that Jalen Green suffered a hamstring injury and could miss some time. Nonetheless, the Suns have a good chance to keep the momentum going with a meeting against the Pelicans on Monday, as they give up the league's fourth-most points and fifth-most points in the paint. This will be advantageous for Ryan Dunn and Royce O'Neale, who do a great job taking the ball to the basket and are also likely to be up for more playing time in the absence of Green. Next, the Suns' players should find room to pad their stats defensively against the Mavs, who give up the league's eighth-most turnovers per game. Moving ahead, the Suns take on the Pacers, who give up the league's eighth most points, second-most free throws and second-most rebounds per game, before they wrap Week 4 action with a game against the Hawks, who are giving up the league's most offensive rebounds per game. Both of the final two outings primarily benefit the Suns' frontcourt players by offering opportunities to pad stats on the glass and the likelihood of a few extra trips to the line. 

Trail Blazers at Magic, at Pelicans, at Rockets, at Mavericks 

On Monday, the Trail Blazers clash with the Magic, who are giving up the league's fifth-most turnovers per game, providing a great opportunity for Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, and Shaedon Sharpe to pad their stats with steals. Next, a meeting with the Pelicans provides a chance for the aforementioned three, as well as Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant, to get their shots falling, as the Pelicans are giving up the league's eighth-most made threes per game. Looking ahead, the Rockets pose a tougher matchup, but once again, there should be opportunities to pad stats on the defensive side, as they are giving up the league's fourth-most turnovers per game. To finish the week, the Trail Blazers clash with the Mavericks and their lackluster defense, a matchup that could favor Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams, especially if the Mavs' frontcourt injury trouble continues. 

Spurs at Bulls, vs. Warriors, vs. Warriors, vs. Kings 

The Spurs have won two in a row and enter Week 4 with the second-best record in the West. They begin the week with a matchup against the Bulls, who give up the league's seventh-most points in the paint. Up next are back-to-back home games against the Warriors, who boast one of the older rosters in the league and face their second consecutive four-game week, which should be an advantage for a young and fast Spurs lineup. Lastly, a clash with the Kings on Sunday provides another favorable matchup, as they give up the league's third-most points and third-most points in the paint. The week is set up to provide plenty of opportunities for frontcourt players like Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, and, of course, Victor Wembanyama to prosper with interior scoring and by attacking the glass.