Subscribe
Follow Us
The Denver Nuggets will travel to the Bay Area to battle the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. It will be a first-round possible playoff preview as we continue our NBA odds series while making a Nuggets-Warriors prediction and pick.
The Nuggets lead the head-to-head series 109-85. Additionally, the Nuggets are 9-1 in the past 10 games against the Warriors, including a 5-0 mark in their last five at Oracle. The Nuggets have beaten the Warriors twice this season, winning 119-115 at home and then 114-105 at Oracle a few weeks ago.
Here are the Nuggets-Warriors NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Warriors Odds
Denver Nuggets: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -120
Golden State Warriors: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +102
Over: 235 (-110)
Under: 235 (-110)
How To Watch Nuggets vs. Warriors
Time: 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
TV: NBA TV, NBC Bay Area and ALT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Nuggets Will Cover the Spread/Win
Nikola Jokic scored 61 points the other night in an exhilarating classic at Ball Arena. It showed what he could do when everything ran on all cylinders. Curiously, one of Denver's wins against Golden State came a few weeks ago when Jokic was not even in the lineup.
The Nuggets led 29-22 after the first quarter and 62-50 at halftime. They held the lead in the second half. Significantly, Aaron Gordon scored 38 points while shooting 14 for 23 from the floor. Michael Porter Jr. added 21 points and 1o rebounds. Likewise, Peyton Watson had 13 points.
The Nuggets shot 46.7 percent from the floor, including 35.9 percent from beyond the arc. Additionally, they held the Warriors to 48.8 percent from the hardwood, including 24.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Nuggets also dominated the boards 53-38. They had 12 steals and blocked seven shots. Overall, this team did great in most aspects. There were still some issues they must fix.
Article Continues Below
Turnover was a huge problem in that game. Moreover, Russell Westbrook has been mistake-prone recently, possibly costing them a win the other day. The Nuggets must avoid making critical mistakes, whether it's making layups or avoiding turnovers. Also, their defense must continue the pressure against a tough team that is finding its footing at the right team. Stopping Stephen Curry will be critical. They held him down the last time around. Now, they must do it again.
The Nuggets will cover the spread if they can shoot the rock well and win the board battle. Then, they cannot allow the Warriors to get easy shots, forcing their best weapon to miss his opportunities.
Why the Warriors Will Cover the Spread/Win
Jonathan Kuminga is injured and might not play in this game, especially if he returns Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ultimately, this will be a tough game for the Warriors as they will be traveling back home after a showdown in Southern California on Thursday. How will they respond to the back-to-back?
Stephen Curry continues a Hall-of-Fame career and is still producing amazing numbers. However, he struggled in the last battle against the Nuggets. While he scored 20 points, he also shot 6 for 21, including 4 for 14 from the three-point line. Curry must do better, and his teammates must do more to spring him open for his classic three-point shots.
Jimmy Butler led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds against the Nuggets while shooting 8 for 16. So far, the Butler experiment has gone well and he has been a good producer. But the Warriors will need more from him. Meanwhile, Draymond Green had 10 points in that game against the Nuggets. Kuminga had 13 points coming off the bench. Likewise, Gary Payton II added 18.
The Warriors were abysmal from the free-throw line, making just 55.6 percent of their chances. In fact, Butler went 6 for 10 in his opportunities, while Kuminga went 5 for 8. That is unacceptable if the Warriors hope to keep pace with the big teams.
Stopping Jokic will be instrumental. The ideal plan would be to double-team him and force him to defer to his teammates. While it exposes a major weakness on the outside, it prevents one of the best big men in the world from beating you.
The Warriors will cover the spread if they can spring Curry open to sink some three-point shots. Then, their defense must converge on Jokic and force him to defer.
Final Nuggets-Warriors Prediction & Pick
The Nuggets are 47-30 against the spread, while the Warriors are 44-31. Moreover, the Nuggets are 22-16 against the spread on the road, while the Warriors are 23-14 against the spread at home.
The Nuggets are playing solid basketball right now. Furthermore, I think the Warriors will be tired from their matchup with the Lakers. That gives the Nuggets the edge here as they go into San Francisco and cover the spread.
Final Nuggets-Warriors Prediction & Pick: Denver Nuggets: -1.5 (-110)
