You’ve got the jersey on. The snacks are prepped. But then you realize you aren't actually sure when the start time for warriors game is tonight. It happens to the best of us. Missing the opening tip because of a timezone mix-up or a flex-scheduling change is a special kind of heartbreak for Dub Nation.
The Golden State Warriors aren't just a basketball team; they’re a global brand, which means their schedule is a chaotic jigsaw puzzle of local starts, national TV windows, and grueling road trips.
Why the Clock Matters
The NBA doesn't just pick a time out of a hat. If the Warriors are playing at the Chase Center in San Francisco, you’re usually looking at a 7:00 PM or 7:30 PM PT tip. But wait. If ESPN or TNT is in town, things get weird. National broadcasts love to pad the pregame, so a "7:00 PM" start time often means the ball doesn't actually go into the air until 7:12 PM. Honestly, it’s a bit of a guessing game until you see the refs at center court.
Road games are a whole different beast. When the Dubs head east to face the Celtics or the Knicks, that 7:30 PM local start hits your West Coast screen at 4:30 PM. You're barely off work, and Steph Curry is already three triples deep into the first quarter.
Finding the Exact Start Time for Warriors Game Tonight
Don't trust a screenshot from three days ago. The NBA is notorious for "flexing" games. If a matchup suddenly becomes a blockbuster—or if a star player gets sidelined—the league might move a game from a local channel to a prime national slot. This often shifts the start time for warriors game by thirty minutes or even an hour.
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The most reliable source is always the official NBA App or the Warriors' team website. They sync directly with the league’s scheduling office. If you’re a fan of the "set it and forget it" method, you can actually sync the Warriors schedule directly to your Google or Apple Calendar. It updates automatically. It’s basically magic for sports fans who can’t keep track of 82 games a year.
The National TV Delay Factor
Let’s talk about the "TNT Tuesday" or "ESPN Doubleheader" phenomenon. You see the start time for warriors game listed as 7:00 PM. You sit down, crack a drink, and... you’re watching the end of a Heat-Sixers game that’s going into overtime.
National broadcasts almost never start exactly on the hour. They have commercials to run and "inside the NBA" segments to get through. If Golden State is the second half of a doubleheader, the start time is often listed as "follows previous game." In reality, this usually means a 20-minute buffer after the first game ends.
Impact of Time Zones on the Dubs Schedule
Living in the Pacific Time Zone is great for late-night hoops, but it’s brutal when the team travels. The Warriors have one of the highest "miles traveled" counts in the league almost every season.
When they play in the Central Time Zone—think Memphis or Chicago—the start times usually hover around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM PT. If you’re trying to catch the game after your commute, you’re going to miss the first half. It sucks. But that’s the price of following a West Coast powerhouse.
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Chase Center Logistics
If you’re actually going to the game, the start time for warriors game is only half the story. Doors at Chase Center typically open 90 minutes before tip-off. If it’s a 7:00 PM start, doors open at 5:30 PM.
You want to be there early. Why? The "Steph Curry Warmup."
It’s a ritual. People pay good money just to see Curry hit tunnel shots and practice his handles. If you roll in exactly at the start time, you’ve missed the best show in basketball. Plus, the traffic in Mission Bay is, quite frankly, a nightmare. Give yourself an extra 45 minutes for the MUNI or finding a parking spot that doesn't cost more than your ticket.
Where to Check if the Time Changed
Sometimes things go sideways. Weather in the Midwest or plane mechanical issues can delay a game. It’s rare in the NBA, but it happens.
- Social Media: Follow the Warriors' official X (formerly Twitter) account. They post "Game Day" graphics every morning with the definitive start time and broadcast info.
- Local Radio: 95.7 The Game is the home of the Warriors. If there’s a delay, they’ll be the first to talk about it.
- The Box Score: If you’re already late, just Google "Warriors score." It’ll show you exactly how much time is left in which quarter.
The Playoff Shift
Once the post-season hits, throw the regular schedule out the window. Playoff start time for warriors game windows are dictated entirely by television ratings. You might see a Sunday afternoon game at 12:30 PM PT to capture the East Coast audience, or a late 8:00 PM PT start for a high-stakes Game 7.
The league wants the most eyes possible on the Dubs. If they’re playing a team like the Lakers, expect the start times to be pushed as late as possible to dominate the "After Dark" slot.
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Dealing with League Pass Blackouts
For out-of-market fans, NBA League Pass is a lifesaver. But it’s also frustrating. If the start time for warriors game arrives and your stream says "This game is currently blacked out," it’s probably because the game is on a national network like ABC or ESPN.
In that case, the "start time" doesn't change, but your method of watching does. You'll need to hop over to a cable provider or a streaming service like YouTube TV or Fubo. If you’re local to the Bay Area, NBC Sports Bay Area is your home base for almost every non-exclusive national game.
Staying Ahead of the Schedule
The NBA releases the full 82-game schedule in August. You can literally map out your entire life six months in advance. Of course, this doesn't account for the "In-Season Tournament" (now the NBA Cup) which adds a layer of complexity to the December schedule.
Check the "NBA Cup" brackets specifically if you're looking for game times in late November. Those games are often played at neutral sites or have specific "Tournament Night" start times that differ from the standard Tuesday/Friday routine.
Actionable Next Steps
To ensure you never miss a minute of the action, follow these steps right now:
- Download the NBA App: Enable "Team Notifications" for the Golden State Warriors. You will get a push notification exactly 15 minutes before the ball drops.
- Verify the Broadcast: Look at the schedule for the "National vs. Local" tag. If it’s on TNT or ESPN, add 15 minutes to the listed start time for warriors game to account for the pregame fluff.
- Set Your DVR: If you’re working late, set your recording to start 30 minutes early and end 1 hour late. NBA games, especially close ones, frequently run past their allotted two-and-a-half-hour window due to timeouts and reviews.
- Sync Your Calendar: Go to the official Warriors website and use the "Sync to Calendar" feature. This handles all timezone conversions for you automatically, so you don't have to do the mental math when the team is in New York or Miami.