Editor's note: Grant Liffmann (@grantliffmann) is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders, which airs on NBC Sports Bay Area 90 minutes before each home game and 60 minutes after every game. Each week, Grant will drop his Outsider Observation on the state of the Dubs.
The NBA schedule has been officially released, and now the start of the season is in sight. With about two and a half months left before the first regular-season game in Chase Center history, Warriors officials can now prepare itineraries and accommodations for the 2019-20 season that will span from late October through mid-April.
It is too early for players or coaches to circle games and begin strategizing against their opponents, considering they haven't even seen their own team practice or play yet. However, earlier this week we examined some key difficult stretches of games in the upcoming season that could very well dictate the fate of the Warriors. So how can the Warriors make up for any losses incurred during those rough patches of the season?
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Here are most winnable stretches of the season in chronological order:
Nov. 27- Dec. 11 (Eight games)
- vs CHI, @ MIA, @ ORL, @ ATL, @ CHA, @ CHI, vs MEM, vs NYK
- One back-to-back (@ ORL, @ ATL)
Very rarely would a stretch of games that includes a five-game east coast road trip be considered very "winnable," but the opponents the Warriors will face over eight consecutive games are nowhere near the upper echelon of teams. When all is said and done, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis and New York may all be drafting high in the lottery following the season.
Playing at Miami and Orlando has the potential to be surprisingly difficult, but if the Warriors cannot win at least five of these eight games, then their season will prove to be quite difficult.
Golden State Warriors
Dec. 20 - Dec. 28 (Five games)
- vs NO, vs MIN, vs HOU, vs PHX, vs DAL
- One back-to-back (vs PHX, vs DAL)
A five-game homestand after much early-season travel should be a very welcome sight for the Warriors. How easy it will be to come away with at least three wins will depend on how good teams such as New Orleans and Dallas prove to be. They are ripe with skilled youngsters, but just how complete they are is still yet to be seen.
Minnesota and Phoenix will probably creep up on some teams and pull off unexpected wins, but they are both fully expected to be picking in the lottery next summer. Houston is the one team that stands out above the rest, but a lively Chase Center crowd might be able to will the Warriors past their rivals.
[RELATED: Warriors' must-see games in 2019-20 season]
March 20- March 28 (Four games)
- @ DET, @ NYK, vs ATL, vs OKC
- One back-to-back (@ DET, @ NYK)
What could make this mini-stretch difficult is that they will travel to Detroit and New York at the tail end of a very difficult string of road games, and then have to compete against a mediocre Pistons team and a porous Knicks squad on a back-to-back. But with Klay Thompson most likely back in the fold, the team should feel confident playing lesser opponents despite the possible exhaustion.
The Warriors would then come home and play the Hawks and the Thunder, who at this point of the season, most likely will have traded away some of the better players on their team.