Copyright The Mercury News
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Warriors, riddled with injuries, have barely survived an opening gauntlet that has seen them play 11 games in 21 days. A tough schedule is about to ratchet up in difficulty. Their opening stretch looks like a cakewalk compared to what is to come. The next nine days will see the Warriors travel from Oklahoma City to Miami for a six-game trip that features five games against probable playoff opponents. Are the Warriors ready for what is tied for the team’s longest trip of the season? They will find out soon. “It’s going to be a tough trip, as you mentioned two back-to-backs,” coach Steve Kerr said on Sunday. “We kind of felt like getting through this early part of the schedule, in one piece, and you know if we’re healthy, and win our share of games, it sets up the rest of the season well for us.” Though it is still early, at least one of the Warriors’ stars sees the trip as a barometer, a way to see if the team really is a contender in the Western Conference. “We play some really good teams on the road,” Jimmy Butler said. “But you gotta win some of these to show that you can compete with the best of them.” Fortunately for the Warriors, superstar Steph Curry will travel with the team and is expected to play in OKC after missing the past three games with an illness. The team went 1-2 in his absence, with the lone win coming on Sunday when Butler put up 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help the Warriors pull away from the Pacers. “Obviously, if we got 30 (Stephen Curry), our chances of winning go up drastically,” Butler said. “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.” With or without Curry, the Warriors will have their hands full over the next week and a half. What makes the trip so daunting? Here is a breakdown of the Warriors’ opponents, with their records as of Monday afternoon. Nov. 11: Oklahoma City (10-1) Breakdown: The defending champions are not only the favorites to repeat, but are also a realistic candidate to challenge the 2015-16 Warriors for the all-time regular-season wins record (73). Perennial 30-point-per-game scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP for a reason, but the Thunder’s depth is also the envy of all. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are formidable in the middle, and Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are all elite defenders. Fortunately for the Warriors, All-Star and Santa Clara alum Jalen Williams has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason wrist surgery. Nov. 12, 14: San Antonio (8-2) Breakdown: Victor Wembanyama has arrived as a superstar, and the Warriors will have to face the 7-foot-4 anomaly on the second night of a back-to-back. Golden State may or may not have Al Horford available, depending on whether he plays against OKC or not. The Warriors will also need to contain San Antonio’s plethora of speedy guards now that De’Aaron Fox has returned and Stephon Castle is blossoming into a true floor general. After a day off in San Antonio, the Warriors will play them again in a baseball-style series. Nov. 16: New Orleans (2-7) Breakdown: A reunion for two beloved former Warriors. Kevon Looney spent the first 10 years of his career in the Bay Area, becoming a fan favorite because of his tough rebounding and defense. He signed with New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent, and has slid in as a dependable backup for an otherwise miserable Pelicans team. Jordan Poole, who was an integral part of the Warriors’ 2022 Finals run, is expected to miss the game with a quad strain. On an otherwise brutal road trip, the bottom-feeding Pelicans should be a rare easy win. Emphasis on “should.” Nov. 18: Orlando (5-6) Breakdown: The Warriors will travel from Texas to the Magic Kingdom to face an Orlando team that is still trying to find its identity. The Magic were a darkhorse pick before the season to contend in the Eastern Conference. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner will be the team’s top defensive priority – expect Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Jimmy Butler to all spend some time guarding the pair – but new signing Desmond Bane is starting to heat up too. Nov. 19: Miami (7-4)
