Warriors 2021-22 schedule release: Highlights include LeBron James, Lakers on opening night, Suns on Christmas

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After two consecutive seasons without making the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors will look to reclaim their spot among the NBA elite during the 2021-22 season. The league's complete schedule was announced on Friday, and the Warriors' expected resurgence is underscored by 41 nationally televised games -- second only to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Stephen Curry is always must-watch entertainment, particularly coming off an MVP-caliber season, and the expected return of Klay Thompson should make the Warriors a true competitor in the Western Conference after a couple of injury-plagued seasons.

Let's take a look at some highlights from the schedule, along with the full list of games.

Schedule highlights

Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

The Warriors won't waste any time before testing themselves, facing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and the Lakers in their first game of the season. Thompson likely won't be available for opening night, but there's still plenty of star power to go around in what should be an intense and entertaining game.

Thursday, Oct. 21 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

The home opener comes against a familiar foe, as the Warriors begin their home schedule against the Clippers for the second time in three seasons. Kawhi Leonard probably won't play, but Paul George proved in the postseason that he is more than capable of leading this team to wins with Leonard out of the lineup.

Friday, Nov. 5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)

One of the most entertaining young players in the NBA, Zion Williamson heads to the Bay Area in early November. The 21-year-old All-Star put up 28 points and seven rebounds as a rookie in his only career game at Chase Center.

Sunday, Nov. 14 at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m. ET

Steph Curry returning to play in his hometown of Charlotte is always an emotional night, and this one will be particularly entertaining against the LaMelo Ball-led, run-and-gun Hornets.

Tuesday, Dec. 14 at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

One of the best games of Curry's early career was a 54-point outburst against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in 2013, and he's capable of surpassing that when the teams meet in December. The Knicks also added some firepower to their roster this offseason with Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, so it should be an entertaining game all around.

Saturday, Dec. 25 at Phoenix Suns, 5 p.m. ET (ABC)

The Warriors will play on Christmas Day for the ninth consecutive season, and for the 11th time in 12 years. They'll hit the road to meet the defending Western Conference champion Suns, led by future Hall of Famer Chris Paul and All-Star Devin Booker. The Warriors are also reportedly targeting this game for Thompson's season debut.

Thursday, Jan. 13 at Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Golden State will get to test itself against the defending champions for the first time in Milwaukee in mid-January, as Draymond Green will do his best to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday will put his suffocating defense on display against Curry.

Saturday, Jan. 29 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Kevin Durant played in the Bay for the first time in a Nets uniform last season, but it will surely be different this time around with fans in the stands. Not only will Chase Center's treatment of Durant be something to watch, but the game itself should also be extremely captivating with Curry, Green and potentially Thompson facing off against Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

Schedule quirks

National TV staple

The Warriors' 41 national TV games (12 on TNT, 12 on NBA TV, 11 on ESPN, six on ABC) are second only to the Lakers for the most in the NBA, and it is the seventh straight season that Golden State has been featured in 25 or more national TV games.

No place like home

The Warriors play eight consecutive home games from Oct. 28-Nov. 12, matching the longest homestand in franchise history. They also have a seven-game homestand from Jan. 18 to Jan. 29, concluding with the highly-anticipated matchup with the Nets.

Hitting the road

The longest road trip for the Warriors this season is five games, but there are two of them. They play five straight road games from Dec. 11-18 and then again from March 22-28. The Warriors only had one five-game road trip last season.

Back-to-backs

The Warriors have 14 back-to-back sets this season after playing in 15 last season. Three of the back-to-back sets in 2021-22 consist of two home games.

Complete 2021-22 Warriors schedule

October

Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Thursday, Oct. 21 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Sunday, Oct. 24 at Sacramento Kings, 9 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Oct. 26 at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, Oct. 28 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 10 p.m. ET
Saturday, Oct. 30 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:30 p.m. ET

November

Wednesday, Nov. 3 vs. Charlotte Hornets, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Nov. 7 vs. Houston Rockets, 8:30 p.m. ET
Monday, Nov. 8 vs. Atlanta Hawks, 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Nov. 10 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 10 p.m. ET
Friday, Nov. 12 vs. Chicago Bulls, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, Nov. 14 at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Nov. 16 at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Thursday, Nov. 18 at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Nov. 19 at Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 21 vs. Toronto Raptors, 8:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Nov. 24 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, Nov. 26 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 28 at Los Angeles Clippers, 3:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Nov. 30 at Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

December

Friday, Dec. 3 vs. Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. ET
Saturday, Dec. 4 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 6 vs. Orlando Magic, 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Dec. 8 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Dec. 11 at Philadelphia 76ers, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Monday, Dec. 13 at Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Dec. 14 at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Friday, Dec. 17 at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, Dec. 18 at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
Monday, Dec. 20 vs. Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m. ET
Thursday, Dec. 23 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 10 p.m. ET
Saturday, Dec. 25 at Phoenix Suns, 5 p.m. ET (ABC)
Tuesday, Dec. 28 vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Thursday, Dec. 30 at Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)

January

Saturday, Jan. 1 at Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Monday, Jan. 3 vs. Miami Heat, 10 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Wednesday, Jan. 5 at Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Thursday, Jan. 6 at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 9 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 8:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Jan. 11 at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Thursday, Jan. 13 at Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Friday, Jan. 14 at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 16 at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Jan. 18 vs. Detroit Pistons, 10 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Thursday, Jan. 20 vs. Indiana Pacers, 10 p.m. ET
Friday, Jan. 21 vs. Houston Rockets, 10 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 23 vs. Utah Jazz, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Tuesday, Jan. 25 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Thursday, Jan. 27 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (TNT)
Saturday, Jan. 29 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Monday, Jan. 31 at Houston Rockets, 8 p.m. ET

February

Tuesday, Feb. 1 at San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, Feb. 3 vs. Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m. ET
Monday, Feb. 7 at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m. ET
Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Utah Jazz, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Thursday, Feb. 10 vs. New York Knicks, 10 p.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 12 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Monday, Feb. 14 at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Wednesday, Feb. 16 vs. Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET
Thursday, Feb. 24 at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Sunday, Feb. 27 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March

Tuesday, March 1 at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 3 at Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 5 at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Tuesday, March 8 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Thursday, March 10 at Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, March 12 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Monday, March 14 vs. Washington Wizards, 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, March 16 vs. Boston Celtics, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Sunday, March 20 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Tuesday, March 22 at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday, March 23 at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday, March 25 at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Sunday, March 27 at Washington Wizards, 6 p.m. ET
Monday, March 28 at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Wednesday, March 30 vs. Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)

April

Saturday, April 2 vs. Utah Jazz, 8:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 3 at Sacramento Kings, 9 p.m. ET
Thursday, April 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, April 9 at San Antonio Spurs, TBD (NBATV)
Sunday, April 10 at New Orleans Pelicans, TBD

Warriors game jerseys now available

The new Warriors season starts October 19! You need a jersey for your favorite player before the first games tip. Shop NBA jerseys, hats, jackets, and a whole lot more here.

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