After going undefeated in the preseason, the Golden State Warriors are more than ready to get the real action going when the ball tips off for the start of the 2021-22 NBA season this week.
Golden State certainly has the pieces to be a championship-caliber team this year, and they’re paying the price for it. Plenty of known talent in dynasty players like Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Steph Curry will meet rising stars like Jordan Poole in the Warriors’ push to bring another championship home this season.
Golden State will kick off the season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. PT. You can tune in to NBC Sports Bay Area for pregame and postgame coverage.
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Let’s take a look at who will be starting for the Warriors this season:
What will be the starting lineup for the Warriors?
At the beginning of the 2021-22 NBA season, the Warriors most likely will send Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and Jordan Poole onto the court as their starting five.
Curry and Poole will handle the backcourt, with Wiggins at small forward, Green at power forward and Looney at center.
Golden State Warriors
Center James Wiseman won’t be part of the Warriors’ lineup as he continues to rehab a meniscus injury that has kept him out since last April.
Who is Golden State’s point guard?
Curry will be the center of the Dubs’ offense once again this season. Golden State’s superstar led the NBA in scoring last season, averaging 32.0 points per game with a league-high 337 3-pointers.
The Warriors don’t have much depth in the backcourt should Curry need rest. Damion Lee and 2021 first-round pick Moses Moody are listed behind Curry on the depth chart.
Hopefully, the Warriors’ more balanced roster -- thanks to the addition of veteran free agents Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica, and bringing back Andre Iguodala -- will take some pressure off the two-time NBA MVP.
Will Klay Thompson be part of the Warriors’ starting five?
Five-time All-Star Klay Thompson won’t be part of the Warriors’ starting lineup at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
Thompson’s place in the starting five will belong to someone else until he is cleared to practice without restriction. He underwent surgery in November of 2020 on a torn Achilles, and had just recovered from a torn ACL that he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals. Thompson reportedly could be cleared for practice next month, setting him up for a highly-anticipated return in late December or early January.
For now, Thompson will be watching on the bench while third-year combo guard Poole takes his place.
Who is the Warriors' starting power forward?
Golden State’s power forward will be Green, who has been in the starting five since 2014-15.
While his offensive production has dipped from the start of his career as he struggled to remain healthy, Green still remains a force on the defensive end of the court. He was even one of the finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award last season.
Green's ability to be a playmaker, allowing Curry and Thompson to move without the ball off screens, will be helpful as the Warriors look to return to form this year.
Green can also shift to center if needed after spending time as the position’s starter in the Warriors' small-ball lineup last season following injuries to Looney and Wiseman.
Can Andrew Wiggins start for the Warriors?
Wiggins will be a starter after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine that allows him to participate in all of the Warriors’ games.
After initial hesitation of the mandated vaccine, Wiggins faced the possibility of being ineligible to play in all home games at Chase Center throughout the season due to San Francisco's health and safety protocols.
Coach Steve Kerr recently confirmed Wiggins was vaccinated and can now be available for all games.