Warriors’ title contention status debated by NBA personality prior to brutal stretch originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Golden State Warriors‘ devastating 120-110 loss to a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks squad on Thursday night may have resulted in a few NBA media members losing confidence in the aging team.
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Stephen Curry’s 27 points on 40.0% shooting from three-point range and Jonathan Kuminga’s 24 points and eight rebounds could not get the job done against Milwaukee’s rising guard Ryan Rollins, as the ex-Warrior poured in a career-high 32 points paired with eight assists.
Their loss against the Bucks did plenty to have fans and media personalities alike question their ability to contend in a loaded Western Conference, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons still remains intrigued by their potential, but he has not fully jumped on board because of their daunting schedule.
“Golden State is the one that I really vacillated on whether they are an actual contender or a possible contender,” Simmons said during a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast on Thursday.
“I think there’s a real chance that Adam Silver hates Golden State because I can’t think of another explanation when I look at the schedule.”
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“(In) 17 days they have 10 games, and they’re basically all in different locations.”
Golden State’s loss against Milwaukee marked their sixth game through the first 10 days of the 2025-26 NBA season, and they won’t be getting a rest anytime soon.
Between Nov. 7 and Nov. 14, Curry and the Warriors will face off against Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets, reigning 2025 Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder and early-season MVP front-runner Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs twice.
If the aging Warriors core of Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford wish to prove that they can remain in the hunt for a title, that stretch will be their golden opportunity to do so.
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