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The Golden State Warriors begin the preseason as defending champions for the third time in four years on Saturday, as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Oracle Arena.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBA TV (nationally televised) and NBC Sports Bay Area (locally televised). If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch a live stream of the game on your computer, phone or streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area (if you live in the Warriors market) are both included in the main Fubo package, which comes with 85-plus channels and is largely tailored towards sports fans. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a handy “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which will allow you to watch the game on-demand up to three days after it airs even if you forgot to record it.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including NBC Sports Bay Area (if you live in the Warriors market). NBA TV is not included, however, so this is more an option only if you reside in the Warriors area. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
NBC Sports Bay Area (if you live in the Warriors market) is included in the “Sling Blue” channel package, while NBA TV is in the “Sports Extra” add-on, which can be added to either base bundle. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of any bundle and add-ons right here, and you can then watch the game live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
Preview
Jimmy Butler has dominated the headlines after he requested a trade last week, and while he still hasn’t been dealt, he also still hasn’t shown up to practice with his current team. As such, don’t expect to see him out there for the T-Wolves preseason opener on Friday.
That said, preseason games are often about watching the young guys, and Butler’s absence potentially paves the way for an under-the-radar rookie to showcase himself: Josh Okogie.
The No. 20 overall pick was a box-score stuffer at Georgia Tech, averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest last year. During Summer League, he didn’t shoot the ball well, but he did show off his non-stop motor on the defensive end with nine steals and eight blocks in just four games.
“Through the roof,” point guard Tyus Jones said of Okogie’s energy. “He never stops on both ends of the floor. His motor is crazy. That’s really something that’s going to help this team, because that’s contagious.”
Okogie could end up playing a major role on this team if the ‘Wolves don’t bring back a wing in a Butler deal, so he’s certainly someone to pay close attention to during the preseason.
As for the Warriors, four-fifths of their starting lineup is the same dominant force it has been the last two years. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green will all likely be out there for the preseason opener, but there won’t be much of a need for them to log many minutes.
One thing to watch when it comes to Steve Kerr’s rotation is the center position. With new free-agent signing DeMarcus Cousins likely sidelined for the first half (ish) of the season, and with Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee all gone, there will be plenty of minutes to go around in the frontcourt.
Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney each played important roles down the stretch last year, and it will be exciting to watch their development. They’re both young, both athletic, both capable of making a big impact on defense, and both really fun to watch. Damian Jones, the third-year center out of Vanderbilt, will also get an opportunity to carve out a role, and according to Kerr, he’ll get the start on Saturday night.
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