Cover Photo: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images


[In the 30 days leading up to the season opener, we'll preview all 30 NBA teams, from Tanking Teams to Lottery Leaders to Warriors Wannabes. Tanking Teams are fighting for the No. 1 pick. Lottery Leaders could make the playoffs, or they could land in the lottery. Warriors Wannabes are title contenders. Then, there are the Warriors in a league by themselves. Team 1 in our preseason rankings is the Golden State Warriors. Check back every day for previews of every team in the NBA followed by our complete preseason rankings.]


Key Losses: JaVale McGee. It feels weird to write this, but the Warriors might actually miss this loose cannon. McGee played very well for the Los Angeles Lakers during the preseason and the Warriors will be without newly-acquired Demarcus Cousins for a while, leaving the center position as somewhat of a question mark coming into the season.


Key Returns: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Sean Livingston, Patrick McCaw, Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney. We know the names, we know the faces. The Warriors are arguably the best basketball team ever assembled and there's really no other way to describe them. With a core group of four superstars, it's incredibly difficult for opposing teams to stop them at any time. The Splash Brothers are already off to a hot start as they have gone a combined 30-for-56 on three-point attempts in the preseason. KD can score at will and Dray is just as important on the offensive and defensive ends, making this team nearly impossible to guard.

Key Additions: DeMarcus Cousins, Damian Jones, Jonas Jerebko. Adding Boogie to the mix is just NBA 2K-level unfair to other teams in the NBA. He won't, however, be ready to go for the start of the season, and head coach Steve Kerr has already confirmed that Jones will be the starting center. Jones had a respectable preseason averaging nine points and five rebounds in 18 minutes per game. Jerebko is just another weapon off the bench who can drain threes.
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​X-Factor: Stephen Curry. Most people feel like Draymond is the glue that holds this team together, and while that is somewhat true, it is Curry's presence that spaces out the floor for guys like KD and Klay. Late last season, this was evident as the Warriors went 6-10 over a 16-game stretch without Curry. He's quietly the most important player on this squad.


Odds: The Warriors over/under team win total is 62.5 and their odds to win the NBA championship currently sit at -160.

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Al Walsh is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Al Walsh also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username 14AdotWalsh. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.