Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers — October 7, 2026 Preseason Preview

Official matchup: Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers, NBA preseason, Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Moda Center, Portland. The game was scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. Golden State entered the night in the second half of a preseason back-to-back, while Portland was opening its exhibition schedule at home.

What makes this preseason meeting unusual is the contrast in preparation. Golden State arrived after playing the previous evening and was managing its workload accordingly, with several established rotation players staying home rather than making the trip north. That shifts the spotlight toward the younger and deeper portion of Steve Kerr’s roster, turning the game into an opportunity for players such as Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer, Will Richard, Malevy Leons and Charles Bassey to handle larger responsibilities. Portland, meanwhile, had the advantage of opening its preseason on its own floor, with Damian Lillard’s return to the Moda Center providing an obvious emotional backdrop and Ja Morant set for his Portland debut.

The tactical question is less about a conventional battle between two full-strength rotations and more about how Golden State’s young group copes with Portland’s size, ball-handling and scoring options. Lillard and Morant give the Trail Blazers two very different ways to pressure a defense from the perimeter, while Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan provide size around them. For Golden State, the response should depend on pace, spacing and decision-making: without several of the team’s regular creators, clean possessions and quick ball movement become especially important. The Warriors also have a chance to test whether their younger players can defend without over-helping against a backcourt capable of creating advantages off the dribble.

The pregame discussion around Portland has centered heavily on what the new-look backcourt can become, particularly the combination of Lillard and Morant, while Golden State’s side of the matchup has been framed around opportunity created by the unusual scheduling spot. Local and league coverage has also emphasized that this is an important early evaluation for Portland after training camp, whereas Golden State’s circumstances make individual development and roster depth more relevant than a normal preseason rotation battle. No matter how the minutes are distributed, the matchup offers a useful early look at how Portland’s revamped perimeter attack functions against a Warriors group likely to rely heavily on less-established combinations.

🩺 Official Injury Status

Golden State Warriors

Portland Trail Blazers

The injury information above separates genuine injury absences from Golden State’s additional preseason rest decisions. The Warriors also held Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Gary Payton II, Georges Niang and Yaxel Lendeborg out of this particular game for rest/maintenance rather than listed injuries.

🔵 Official Confirmed Starting Groups

Golden State Warriors — Confirmed Starters

Portland Trail Blazers — Confirmed Starters

⭐ Four Details That Shape the Matchup

• Golden State’s depth gets tested: the Warriors were scheduled to play without a large group of veterans and regular rotation players because of the second night of a preseason back-to-back.
• Portland’s new backcourt gets an immediate examination: Lillard and Morant were named together in the starting group, giving the Blazers an unusual combination of deep shooting range and downhill creation.
• Size matters: Clingan gives Portland a substantial interior presence, while Golden State’s smaller, younger lineup has to compensate through movement, spacing and collective rebounding.
• Preseason purpose: Portland can evaluate how its new pieces interact under game conditions, while Golden State can assess players who normally sit behind its established rotation.