The Golden State Warriors have already checked off a box they never managed to hit during the entire 2025-26 season: five straight wins.
That alone makes this 2026-27 start feel different. It’s only been eight games, but the Warriors have shown an ability to respond after a rough opening stretch that simply wasn’t there a year ago.
They dropped their first three games, then turned around and won five in a row. For a team that spent last season feeling like it could never quite stack success on top of success, that’s a meaningful shift.
Last year, every bit of progress seemed to come with a setback attached. The Warriors would take a step forward, then almost immediately give some of it back. That kind of pattern wears on a team and on anyone watching it, because it keeps hinting at a run without ever fully delivering one.
So far, this group has been better at carrying momentum forward. The early losses could have dragged them right back into the same cycle, but instead they answered with a strong run. That makes the start of this season both encouraging and a little surprising.
A big part of that may be Steve Kerr’s approach to expectations. He has treated the word “expectations” like it’s a curse, and that mindset seems to be helping the Warriors stay grounded.
If they were already locked onto playoff seeding or a championship chase, those first three losses would have landed much harder. Instead, they’re taking things one game at a time, focused on winning the night in front of them with whoever is available.
That doesn’t mean the road ahead will be smooth. Regression is always lurking, and this Warriors roster is old enough that injuries figure to become a factor sooner or later. But if Golden State wants to prove this season isn’t headed for the same frustrations as last year, the key will be keeping the momentum from turning sour when the losses inevitably arrive.
They’re going to lose again at some point. The real test is what happens after that. If the Warriors can keep their game-to-game focus and avoid letting one loss snowball into another, this season has a chance to look a lot more enjoyable than the last one did.
In Other News...
Warriors Hot Start Comes With One Troubling Yaxel Lendeborg Sign
The Warriors recent winning streaks have helped mask a curious early-season wrinkle around Yaxel Lendeborg. On the surface, he has been producing exactly the kind of all-around line that usually travels well in Golden State, averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting efficiently and giving the offense another reliable option.
Still, the plus-minus has told a different story, with Lendeborg sitting at minus-21 through 255 minutes. The number has been shaped by a few specific games, but it also points to the areas the Warriors will want cleaned up as the season settles in, especially turnovers, defense and fouling. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Kerr Adds Another Twist Before Warriors Face Klay And Wiggins
Steve Kerr had a little of everything to discuss after practice, including the kind of off-court topic that can briefly hijack a room before the basketball questions take over. He also touched on the Warriors health, saying Gui Santos sat out with a sore left knee while Brandon Williams went through a full session and should be available.
Golden States next game brings another familiar wrinkle, with the Miami Heat arriving in town carrying former Warriors Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. For Kerr, it adds an extra layer to a matchup that already has plenty of emotional baggage, even before the teams tip off. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Costly Porziis Problem With No Clear End
Kristaps Porziis has become one of the more complicated roster questions facing the Warriors this season, and not just because he has yet to suit up. Golden State is withholding salary payments while he remains away from the team because of undisclosed health issues, a situation that has left the club balancing basketball needs, financial planning and the reality that a player it signed to a two-year deal has not been available at all.
The front office is also trying to navigate the contract from a cap standpoint, with trade interest tied more to financial flexibility than any expectation of an immediate on-court fix. Porziis has reportedly considered stepping away from basketball, which only adds to the uncertainty around when, or if, the Warriors can count on him as part of their plans. [Read more 🡒]