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The Golden State Warriors will take on the Denver Nuggets in an important Western Conference battle. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Warriors-Nuggets prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have had a surprising amount of success this season. The Warriors own an outstanding 44-22 record on the year despite a recent losing streak. Denver has managed to soldier on through several key injuries and earn a 40-26 record, a better mark than anyone expected of them at this point in the year. This is obviously a huge game for both sides, as it's possible this game is a preview of a playoff series. Let's cut to the chase and get to the pick.
Here are the Warriors-Nuggets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Warriors-Nuggets Odds
Golden State Warriors: -1.5 (-110)
Denver Nuggets: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 228.5 (-110)
Under: 228.5 (-110)
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Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
The Warriors are one of the best offenses in the NBA, and that will show in this matchup. While Golden State only scores 111 points per game, they rank inside the top three in the league in shooting percentage, effective field goal percentage, and shooting efficiency. Those numbers will play well against a Nuggets defense that has been mediocre at best this season. Denver doesn't allow a ton of points, but they do allow their opponents to shoot 46.5% from the field, one of the worst numbers in the league. No one seems to have trouble scoring on the Nuggets, and that won't change here.
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Injuries will have a huge impact in this game. Denver starters Will Barton and Jeff Green are both questionable for this game, along with backup point guard Bones Hyland. None of those guys are star players, but each fills an important role for the Nuggets. If all of them are forced to miss this game, the Nuggets will have to count on the likes of Bryn Forbes, JaMychal Green and Facundo Campazzo to play serious minutes against one of the best teams in the NBA.
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread
Home court advantage will be huge for the Nuggets in this game. Denver's winning percentage jumps from 57% on the road to 64% on their home floor. The Warriors have been significantly worse when they play on the road, as their 27-7 record at home tumbles to 17-15 on the road. Golden State actually has a losing record against the spread when they play on the road despite being a dominant ATS team overall. Playing in Ball Arena will give the Nuggets a huge advantage in this one.
The Nuggets aren't the only team in this matchup dealing with injuries. Starting shooting guard Gary Payton II and backup forwards Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala have all been ruled out of this matchup. Payton II is an important two-way player. Porter has been a good source of offense for the Warriors when healthy. Now Golden State will be forced to rely on players like Moses Moody and Jordan Poole to play huge minutes in this contest.
Final Warriors-Nuggets Prediction & Pick
This will be a close game, but the Nuggets should walk away with a cover at the very least. They're at home, and Golden State has been in a major slump lately.
Final Warriors-Nuggets Pick: Denver Nuggets +1.5 (-110)
