The most recent NBA champions are set to take on the team that has dominated in terms of championships over the last decade. The Denver Nuggets are set to take on the Golden State Warriors, and they will do it on Christmas Day. Christmas Day always features fun and exciting matchups between teams with star talent, and this game will be no different. Below, we will explain how you can watch the game.
When and where is the Warriors vs. Nuggets game?
Every year since 2008, the defending champions have played on Christmas Day. The Nuggets will take on the Warriors on their home court, as the game is at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 25.
How to watch NBA on Christmas Day
ABC will be broadcasting this game on Christmas. You can also watch a live stream of the game with fuboTV.
Date: Monday, Dec. 25 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ball Arena — Denver, Colorado
TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)
Odds: Nuggets -4.5
Warriors storylines
There is almost no way to stop Nikola Jokic, but Draymond Green would offer the Warriors their best chance at slowing down the defending Finals MVP and Nuggets' megastar. Unfortunately, Green is currently serving an indefinite suspension. It is unknown when Green will return to the court, but it seems unlikely that he will by Christmas. Green's previous suspension was for five games, and the Christmas Day game will only be the seventh after his latest suspension was announced.
The Warriors have thrived in his absence, though. Golden State is 3-1 since Green's incident with Jusuf Nurkic, and they have won three straight games. Jonathan Kuminga has thrived as Green's replacement, and Steve Kerr even made a lineup change after Green's suspension in which he benched Andrew Wiggins for Brandin Podziemski.
While he struggled in his last game against the Celtics, Wiggins has brought stability and a veteran presence to an otherwise young bench unit. Meanwhile, Podziemski and Kuminga have fit perfectly with the starters. Wiggins has claimed he wants to work his way back into the starting lineup, and Green is sure to be placed back in the starting unit upon his return, so Steve Kerr will have some tough lineup decisions to make going forward. Game plans on how to stop the Nuggets will a more pressing issue for the Warriors, though.
Nuggets storylines
The defending champion Denver Nuggets are 19-10 and third in the Western Conference. Even so, it feels like they haven't hit their fullest potential. Many were expecting Jamal Murray to finally deliver an All-Star campaign, but he has been hurt for much of the year and is only averaging 18.4 points per game.
At his best, though, Murray has still displayed his advanced shot-making and incredible two-man game with Nikola Jokic which made him one of the best performers from last season's playoffs. Speaking of Jokic, the two-time MVP is still doing his thing. He can win games seemingly at will, and his season averages of 26.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game would be career-best games for most players. Joel Embiid will once again give Jokic a run for his money when it comes to winning MVP, but Jokic has the playoff track record to make you assume he will continue to take the Nuggets to new heights.
With Jokic, the Nuggets offense is always going to thrive, but the team has been even better on the defensive end. They are only allowing 110.3 points per game, which is the fifth-best mark in the NBA. Teams only shoot 35.7 percent from deep on the Nuggets. That will be particularly important against a Warriors team that is so reliant on the three-point shot. Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are known stoppers, but youngsters like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have thrived on the defensive end as well. Watson plays with extreme energy, and his athleticism and length make it hard for players to score on him.
Golden State has had its fair share of issues this year, but the Warriors are a team you can never count out. The Nuggets may be favored, but they will have their hands full against the Warriors. Nikola Jokic seems destined for a monster game, though. Kevon Looney and Dario Saric just don't have the size or skillsets to stop arguably the best player in the NBA.
Follow Us
Subscribe