SAN FRANCISCO – Coach Steve Kerr used the word “disheartening” Tuesday when describing the Warriors’ upcoming schedule, a clearer acknowledgment of what his team is about to contend with than when he was referring to the length of the game that begins Wednesday night against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder after Golden State lost to the Brooklyn Nets the night before.

“The schedule is the schedule,” Kerr said Monday after the Warriors’ 128-120 loss. “I’m not looking ahead. There are all sorts of hard games. A few weeks ago, OKC, Boston and Cleveland were staring at us. It is what it is.

“You just play. We have to play better. Nothing else matters.”

All true statements. Kerr, his coaching staff and his players can only play one game each.

The past, which in the Warriors’ case consisted of two straight games in which they blew a nearly 20-point lead in the third quarter only to lose to undermanned rebuilding teams, is a thing of the past. The future will be written soon enough. And they’ve already endured a series of intimidating games this season, during a five-game road trip that ended against the Celtics, Thunder and Cavaliers.

The Warriors took a 2-1 lead in their toughest test of the season. Up to this point they had prevailed against the lowest competition. Those road wins against the Celtics and Thunder opened the eyes of the entire league.

Only now are the Warriors looking at a month’s worth of games that can show whether the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Golden State opens the gates for a gauntlet. By the end of the calendar year, it should be pretty clear what contenders these Warriors can be – whether they’re doing well as is or whether they’re in for some upheaval.

“What’s disappointing is that the last two games have been very winnable,” Kerr said Tuesday after the Warriors’ practice. “Big clues, out and about in San Antonio and at home last night. These are games we should finish and obviously we have a massive schedule ahead of us.

“So it’s disappointing but it’s 82 games and we’re going to have to deal with all sorts of things – be it a tough schedule, injuries like we’re having now, people being out. Doesn’t matter. Nobody cares.”

The Thunder are just the beginning. Then it’s off to games in Phoenix and Denver. The Suns are 9-1 against Kevin Durant this season, and while the Nuggets have been good but not great, Nikola Jokic has been averaging a triple-double of 29.7 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game very great.

Returning home won’t be an easy welcome when the Warriors have three games at home against the Houston Rockets, won eight of their last 10 games and then two in a row against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

A short string of home games will be followed by a flight to Memphis to theoretically play Ja Morant for the first time since Jan. 25, 2023, and then a game in Minnesota for the Warriors’ third date with the Timberwolves in two weeks. They come to their first of two games against the Indiana Pacers this season and then a Christmas game at Chase Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, the fifth time the Warriors have played LeBron James on Christmas.

The year ends with another visit to the Intuit Dome and home games for the Suns and Cavs.

This completes 23 games in which the Warriors’ opponents have a current overall record of 136-91, a winning percentage of 59.1. The only Western Conference team with a record under .500 in those games is the Timberwolves at 8-9. The only Eastern Conference team they will face is the 8-10 Pacers, a team that can turn things around quickly.

Something is missing in this math too. This does not include the NBA Cup.

While the Warriors are in the process of knocking down their shields and fending off a number of the West’s best teams, they will compete in the NBA Cup having already qualified for at least the quarterfinals.

“It’s our ability and every team’s ability to win games even in difficult times,” Kerr said. “To get through the bad phases and not get too defensive. You trust that if you have a good team, are committed and play with energy, your record will be pretty good over the course of the 82s.”

One game at a time. This is the only way the Warriors can get back on track and preserve themselves by not taking a long look at the schedule. What lies ahead can indicate how the season will ultimately play out, good or bad.

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