Honestly, if you're looking at the Golden State Warriors 2025 schedule thinking it’s just another standard mid-season grind, you’re missing the actual drama. We are currently in January 2026, and looking back at how that 2025 stretch reshaped the franchise is wild. Most fans remember the splashy trade for Jimmy Butler in February, but the real story was the brutal travel schedule in the second half of the season that almost broke the "Old Guard" for good.
It wasn't just about the games. It was about the miles.
The January Gauntlet and the MLK Day Tradition
January 2025 started with a heavy home presence at Chase Center, but it didn't stay comfortable for long. One of the most talked-about dates was January 19, 2025, when the Warriors hosted the Miami Heat for MLK Day. It was a 7:00 PM tip-off that felt like a playoff preview.
Interestingly, that game was also a "revenge" narrative for Andrew Wiggins, who was still with Golden State at the time before the massive roster shakeup later that winter.
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The schedule then forced the Dubs into a back-to-back immediately after:
- January 20: vs. Toronto Raptors (Home)
- January 22: @ Dallas Mavericks (Away)
- January 24: @ Minnesota Timberwolves (Away - ABC National Game)
- January 26: @ Minnesota Timberwolves (Away - Peacock Exclusive)
That "Twin Cities" double-header was a turning point. Playing the same elite team twice in three days on their home floor is a nightmare for a veteran-heavy roster. Steve Kerr actually rested Steph Curry for one of those games, a move that sparked a massive debate on sports talk radio about "load management" versus "seeding priority."
Why the Post-All-Star Break Run Was Different
By the time we hit the 2025 trade deadline in February, the Warriors were hovering around the 7th or 8th seed. Then the Jimmy Butler trade happened.
Suddenly, the Golden State Warriors 2025 schedule became the most watched thing in basketball. People wanted to see if Butler’s "intensity" would clash with Draymond Green’s "chaos."
The late February and March stretch featured some of the heaviest hitting national TV slots:
- February 22: vs. Denver Nuggets (ABC) - A 3:30 PM matinee where Jokic and Curry traded haymakers.
- February 28: vs. Los Angeles Lakers (ABC) - The classic LeBron vs. Steph rivalry that, frankly, we’ll never get tired of.
- March 7: @ Oklahoma City Thunder (ABC) - This was the "litmus test" game against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the eventual 1st seed.
The Warriors played a franchise-record 34 national TV games during this 2024-25 campaign. If you felt like you couldn't escape them on ESPN or TNT, you weren't imagining it.
The Push for the Postseason
What people often forget is how the schedule softened—at least on paper—right at the end. April was supposed to be easy.
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It wasn't.
The final stretch leading to the April 13, 2025 regular-season finale involved a lot of desperate teams fighting for Play-In spots. The Warriors eventually finished with a 48-34 record, landing them the 7th seed in the West.
They had to go through a grueling seven-game series against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs (which they won, remarkably) before finally bowing out to the Timberwolves in the second round in May 2025.
Looking at the Golden State Warriors 2025 schedule through the lens of today, it’s clear that the front office used those specific 2025 dates to decide who was "Warrior material" and who wasn't. The move to get Jimmy Butler wasn't just about winning a title that year; it was a desperate attempt to maximize the final years of Steph Curry’s prime because the schedule showed they simply didn't have the depth to survive the Western Conference marathon otherwise.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're tracking the current 2026 season or looking back at 2025 stats, keep these things in mind:
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- Check the "Rest Advantage": When looking at future Warriors schedules, always highlight the back-to-backs. This team’s win percentage drops by nearly 15% when playing on zero days' rest compared to the league average.
- Watch the Road/Home Splits: In 2025, the Warriors were surprisingly balanced (24-17 at home and 24-17 on the road). This was a massive departure from their historic "home-court dominance," signaling a shift in how they approach regular-season energy.
- Monitor National TV Flexes: Because the Warriors are ratings gold, late-season games often get moved to ABC or ESPN. If you have tickets for a Sunday game, always verify the tip-off time 48 hours in advance.
The 2025 season wasn't just a collection of dates; it was the beginning of the "Butler Era" in San Francisco and the final proof that the original dynasty core needed a massive injection of outside talent to stay relevant.