The Warriors have spent the last few games looking like a team that may have finally found its footing.
It began with a convincing win over a Nuggets team that looked flat, a game in which Stephen Curry attempted only eight shots and barely played in the fourth quarter. Golden State followed that by beating the Timberwolves and Lakers in consecutive games, and even with Minnesota missing Anthony Edwards, the offense showed enough in those two outings to give the Warriors real reason for optimism.
Then came the win over the Clippers, and that one may have said the most. Curry and Draymond Green were both resting in the first half of a back-to-back, with the second game coming tonight against the Suns, yet Golden State still found a way to pull out its fourth straight victory. Yaxel Lendeborg helped carry the load, and that kind of result is exactly the sort of thing this team will need if it wants to put itself in position for a postseason run.
Still, four wins don’t settle the question of whether this roster can really hold up. The next stretch will do that, especially three games that stand out as the clearest test of where the Warriors actually are. If they can get through November without losing the momentum they’ve built, the path forward starts to look a lot clearer.
The first major checkpoint comes on 11/11 at Houston.
That matchup carries some familiar baggage, including the seven-game first-round playoff win over the Rockets two years ago. But this Houston team is not that team, and it’s not even the same group from last season with Kevin Durant in the fold. Fred VanVleet’s return from his ACL tear has made a major difference, and the Rockets finally seem to have settled into an offense that gives their young players defined roles.
The numbers back that up. Houston is first in the NBA in offensive rating, and the defense is still as tough as ever.
By the time Golden State gets there, this could easily be the best opponent it has faced in the season’s first month. If Curry or Lendeborg can deliver a big night and the Warriors can steal that game, it would say plenty about their ability to hang in the race for a top-six seed.
Two nights later, on 11/13, the Warriors head to San Antonio for an NBA Cup game that brings a different kind of challenge.
The Spurs are 4-2 through their first six games, and with the Thunder dealing with injuries, they’ve become the team that looks most dangerous right now. They still have issues to sort out, especially in the backcourt with De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle all in the mix, but this isn’t a group that needs much introduction.
Golden State doesn’t have to win this one outright, but making it competitive would matter, especially if it comes on the heels of a victory over Houston. That kind of showing could push more people to take the Warriors seriously on a national level.
The most interesting part of the matchup is obvious: how does Golden State’s small-ball look against Victor Wembanyama? That could even become a key moment in the discussion about whether this team really needs a center.
Then comes 11/19 at Memphis, and that may be the toughest measuring stick of all.
The Grizzlies may not have the same raw talent as Houston or San Antonio, but they’ve been playing like a powerhouse anyway. They’re 6-0, and with Cameron Boozer added to the mix plus more growth from Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, they’ve started to look like a legitimate top-six seed threat.
Memphis ranks third in the NBA in offensive rating and second in defensive rating, which tells you how complete this start has been. They may cool off before the Warriors arrive, but this is exactly the type of team Golden State will have to beat regularly if it wants to stay in the conversation for a real playoff spot. A convincing win would probably say as much about Memphis’ staying power as it would about Golden State’s present level, but in 2026-27, the Grizzlies are the kind of team the Warriors need to be chasing in the standings.
In Other News...
Jonathan Kuminga Is Finally Getting A Chance Warriors Fans Wanted
Jonathan Kuminga is getting the kind of offensive runway that can change the conversation around a young wing, and it comes at a time when the Timberwolves have needed someone to pick up the slack. After signing a two-year, $12.4 million contract with Minnesota, Kuminga has seen his role on offense expand since Anthony Edwards went down with a knee injury, and the extra touches have naturally pushed his field-goal attempts upward.
For Warriors fans who spent years wanting to see more of that freedom, it is at least a reminder of what Kuminga can look like when the offense is built around his aggression. Minnesota has dropped its last three games without Edwards, so the stakes around Kumingas expanded role are real, even if the bigger question is whether this stretch turns into something more lasting once the lineup gets healthy again. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Costly Lauri Markkanen Decision
The Warriors have spent plenty of time in the rumor mill around Lauri Markkanen, and it is easy to see why. A front office trying to keep Stephen Curry in the kind of position he has long enjoyed would naturally look at a versatile scorer like Markkanen as a fit, especially if the goal is to add another big offensive piece without asking Curry to carry everything himself.
But the price tag is what makes this one tricky. Markkanens contract is a real hurdle, and Utah is expected to demand a meaningful haul in return, which means any deal would likely require Golden State to part with a mix of players and draft capital. There are scenarios being discussed, but for now it remains one of those big-name possibilities that could reshape the roster or simply stay in the category of expensive what-ifs. [Read more 🡒]
Jimmy Butler Just Added To Warriors Fans Luka Enjoyment
Stephen Currys latest standout night against Luka Doncic gave Warriors fans plenty to enjoy already, and Jimmy Butler added a little more fuel to the moment afterward. Golden States 112-95 win over the Los Angeles Lakers featured Curry scoring 31 points and delivering a highlight play against Doncic, a sequence that quickly became one of the games most talked-about moments.
Butler then shared an AI-generated video on social media that playfully cast Curry as a martial arts master, turning the on-court exchange into a bit of online theater. The post picked up plenty of attention soon after the game, giving Warriors fans another reason to savor a win that already had the kind of edge and star power that tends to linger well beyond the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]