Warriors Navigate Heavy Travel to Open Season
The Golden State Warriors have dealt with one of the most demanding starts to the 2025–26 season. By the time they finish their back-to-back in Florida this week, the team will have played 17 games in 29 days. Even more challenging, 12 of those 17 will have taken place on the road.
The Warriors face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and the Miami Heat on Wednesday. After those matchups, Golden State will finally get a brief break before returning to the West Coast.
Kerr Says Schedule Is Unlike Anything He Has Seen
Head coach Steve Kerr did not hold back when describing the early grind. Speaking on 95.7 The Game, he said, “The Miami game will be our 17th game in 29 days in 13 different cities. It’s been the toughest early schedule I’ve ever been a part of in my entire NBA life.”
That carries weight coming from Kerr. He played 15 seasons in the league from 1988 to 2003. He later worked as a broadcaster, an executive, and now a long-tenured head coach. In total, he has spent almost 40 years in the NBA. Despite all that experience, he believes this opening stretch stands out as unusually demanding.
Veteran Roster Feeling the Effects
Golden State’s core is not built around youth, which makes the nonstop travel even tougher. Kerr praised the team’s resilience but admitted that the heavy workload has forced internal discussions about rest.
“I think our guys have held up remarkably well, but there’s definitely some considerations to make with this back-to-back,” Kerr said. His comments point toward possible lineup adjustments against the Magic or Heat to manage fatigue.
Brief Pause Before Returning West
The Warriors will finally get Thursday off, though the day will still involve travel back to California. They return home for a Friday NBA Cup game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center. That matchup will be only their sixth home game in their first 18 contests.
Golden State hopes that a more balanced schedule later in the season will allow the team to regain rhythm and consistency after a grueling first month.
