5 toughest tests on the Warriors schedule to close out January

After kicking off the 2024-25 NBA season by winning 12 of their first 15 games, a start that had them in first place in the Western Conference standings on November 22, the Golden State Warriors have lost 17 of 24 since.

Things reached a low point on Monday night, as the Dubs took a 104-101 defeat to the Toronto Raptors, who've won just nine games all season.

With the loss, Golden State dropped to 19-20 for the year, falling below .500 for the first time, and now sits in 11th place in the West. If this standing holds, of course, Steve Kerr & Co. wouldn't even be eligible to participate in the Play-In Tournament.

And things won't get any easier for the Warriors, as six of their nine remaining opponents in January currently hold records of .500 or better, the only exceptions being the Washington Wizards (Jan. 18), Chicago Bulls (Jan. 23), and Utah Jazz (Jan. 28). But given the way this team has performed lately, those three games aren't guaranteed victories by any stretch.

The lone team they'll face that's sitting exactly at .500 at this point is the Phoenix Suns, who currently reside in 10th place in the West at 19-19.

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The Warriors' remaining January schedule includes dates with the Celtics and Thunder

Here's a quick look at the other five teams Golden State will face this month.

January 15: at Minnesota Timberwolves

Wednesday will see the Warriors taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves, who've won four of their last five outings and will come into this matchup in eighth place in the West at 21-18.

Anthony Edwards has been on a bit of a tear during this stretch, averaging 29.2 points per game, which includes a 41-point effort against the Wizards on Monday night.

The Warriors have faced the Wolves three times thus far this season, going 2-1. Steph Curry has played well against Minnesota in these outings, twice hitting the 30-point mark and averaging 28 points per game.

January 20: vs. Boston Celtics

January 20 will see Golden State taking on the defending champion Boston Celtics, who currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference at 28-11.

These two teams played one another back on November 6, with the Warriors earning a hard-fought 118-112 win behind a strong all-around performance from Curry, who had 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals in the victory.

January 22: at Sacramento Kings

Two nights later, Golden State will hit the road for a Pacific Division matchup with the Sacramento Kings, who got off to a rough start but have gone 7-1 since firing Mike Brown on December 27.

After losing their first game under interim head coach Doug Christie, the Kings have reeled off seven straight victories and currently sit in ninth place in the West at 20-19.

This current winning streak includes a 129-99 win over the Warriors on January 5, a game which Golden State never led. That's the only meeting these two teams have had this season, so the Warriors will obviously be looking to even the score.

January 25: vs. Los Angeles Lakers

On Saturday, January 25, the Warriors are set for a prime-time matchup on ABC with the Los Angeles Lakers, who've had an up-and-down campaign thus far but are in seventh place in the West at 20-17.

In their first and only matchup of the year thus far, the Warriors and Lakers engaged in an epic battle on Christmas Day, with Austin Reaves hitting a game-winning layup with just one second left on the clock to give Los Angeles a 115-113 victory.

Curry went for a season-high 38 points in the loss, hitting 14 of 24 shots from the floor, including eight of 15 from beyond the arc.

January 29: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Four nights after battling the Lakers, Golden State will host the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently sit atop the Western Conference standings at 32-6.

One of those six losses, though, came at the hands of the Warriors, who took a 127-116 win over OKC on November 10 behind a 36-point effort from Curry. The Dubs also got 20 points from Jonathan Kuminga, who hit eight of 11 shots that night. Kuminga is currently sidelined with an ankle injury but should be back in time for this matchup.

The Warriors and Thunder met for a second time on November 27, with Oklahoma City taking a 105-101 win.