The NBA schedule has been released and the Warriors have to be delighted.
There are no road trips of more than six games.
And there are 14 back-to-back sets, a reduction from 17 such games last season.
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As defending champions, the Warriors will have a number of marquee games sure to attract widespread attention. Here are a dozen such games:
Oct. 17: Rockets at Warriors -- One year after eclipsing the Warriors’ record for most 3-pointers made in a season, Houston adds future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul to play alongside MVP runner-up James Harden. Does that explain why Stephen Curry is “curious” about a matchup between the NBA’s highest-scoring teams?
Oct. 27: Wizards at Warriors -- In taking the Celtics to seven in the conference semifinals -- in their first season under coach Scott Brooks -- Washington is an established top-four team in the East. In addition, few NBA duels are more enjoyable than Stephen Curry vs. John Wall.
Nov. 2: Warriors at Spurs -- This is for those who remember what happened on opening night last season as well as the tone set early in Game 1 of the Conference Finals -- before the loss of Kawhi Leonard changed the course of that game and altered the arc of the series.
Golden State Warriors
Nov. 8: Timberwolves at Warriors -- Pump the brakes, everyone. Even with Jimmy Butler Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson coming over, Minnesota is not ready to seriously contend. Given the young incumbent talent, however, they are prepared to start a very real rise in the West.
Nov. 11: 76ers at Warriors -- Cross your fingers and hope the future of Philly -- Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz, Dario Saric and Ben Simmons -- is healthy for this trip into Oracle Arena. This promises more fun than competition.
Nov. 16: Warriors at Celtics -- Boston posted the best record in the Eastern Conference and over the past two seasons has managed a split of four regular-season games against the Warriors. Adding All-Star forward Gordon Hayward puts the Celtics in position to seriously challenge the Cavs for conference supremacy.
Nov. 22: Warriors at Thunder -- One year after losing Durant, Oklahoma City replaces him with Paul George. He’s no KD, but if PG can productively coexist with MVP Russell Westbrook -- and if big man Steven Adams can rebound from last season -- this can become a very interesting season series.
Dec. 22: Lakers at Warriors -- Lonzo Ball comes to Oakland.
Dec. 25: Cavaliers at Warriors -- Though much can change regarding the future of Kyrie Irving’s place on the Cleveland roster, this still is a rematch of the teams that met in the last three NBA Finals. It’s LeBron and his bunch vs. Steph and KD and their crew, the best and most enduring matchup in the NBA. It’s must-see TV.
Jan. 12: Warriors at Bucks -- The rising young Bucks, who snapped the Warriors’ 24-game win streak in 2015, tend to play the Warriors tough at home. The Warriors are minus-10 over their last two games in Milwaukee. Another reason to look forward to this: Kevin Durant vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo on the same floor.
Jan. 13: Warriors at Raptors -- Though the Raptors can challenge any team, this game poses a particular threat insofar as it’s the second night of a back-to-back set -- followed two nights later by a prime-time game at Cleveland.
Jan. 15: Warriors at Cavaliers -- Fourth game in three nights, and the middle of a five-game road trip that easily is the toughest stretch of the season.