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The Denver Nuggets visit Chase Center on Monday to face off with the Golden State Warriors for the second time this season. The Golden State Warriors have had a turbulent campaign, involving several injuries and a lot of time spent figuring out how to play together. The struggling franchise received another blow yesterday when their rookie James Wiswasn got diagnosed with a torn meniscus and could be potentially sidelined for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, the visiting Denver Nuggets have been one of the most dominant teams of late. They have won 18 of their last 22 games as Nikola Jokic and co. keep running over teams. Although they are coming off a devastating defeat to the Boston Celtics, the team has assured that they won't let "one bizarre loss" derail their mission for the NBA title.
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction
The Denver Nuggets are obvious favorites to win this game based on their record and form this season. The Golden State Warriors are extremely inconsistent and the Nuggets will certainly aim to take advantage of that. Very few teams have had an answer for Nikola Jokic this year and the Warriors' lack of a bonafide center means Jokic will dominate.
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Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray has stepped up his defense drastically this season. His perimeter defense and awareness has greatly improved and he got featured in the NBA's DPOY power rankings a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, he is sidelined for yet another game and his replacement, Fucando Campazzo, is going to have to guard Stephen Curry for the majority of the night.
Curry runs around off the ball and through multiple screens constantly which leads to the defender constantly getting bodied by screens while chasing him around. Curry has been on a tear of late, and despite his team's inconsistency, has often led the Golden State Warriors to wins behind a monster scoring performance. How well the Denver Nuggets can contain him will be crucial to the outcome of this matchup.
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Combined 5
Point Guard - Stephen Curry | Shooting Guard - Andrew Wiggins | Small Forward - Draymond Green | Power Forward - Aaron Gordon | Center - Nikola Jokic.
Stephen Curry is regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all-time. He is averaging nearly 30 points per game this season for the Golden State Warriors and is the second-highest in the league in scoring. In the last four games, Curry has shot 46-87 (52.8%) from the field, including 19-47 (40.4%) from the three-point range.
The Golden State Warriors are the 7th-worst-ranked offense in NBA history when Curry is off the floor and that shoots up to the 13th-best this season when he is on. It's undoubtedly one of the best floor raising jobs we've seen and he could drop a big number tonight as well.
Andrew Wiggins has really adapted well to his new role as the Golden State Warriors shooting guard. Although he and Kelly Oubre Jr. constantly switch positions between two-guard and small forward, Wiggins' improved versatility and defense allows him to play either role incredibly well. He is averaging 18.1 points per game on 47% shooting this season and also a career-best 38% from beyond the arc for the Golden State Warriors.
Although listed as a power forward for the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green is ideal for either forward position. He can defend positions 1-5 and is essentially one of the best point-forwards in the league.
Green is 6'6" which makes him a better small forward than a power forward. He runs the offense for the Golden State Warriors from either position and is the primary facilitator and pick-and-roll partner for the guards. Green's defensive prowess makes him an elite force on the floor.
Aaron Gordon was acquired by the Denver Nuggets at the NBA trade deadline. He has played 8 games so far, with the power forward averaging 11.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He showed up against his former team the, Orlando Magic, dropping 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks while shooting 10-13 from the field. Gordon is also a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and his addition to the Denver Nuggets roster gives the team a definite edge.
And finally, at center, we have Nikola Jokic who is tearing the league apart this season. He is averaging a near triple-double for the Denver Nuggets with 26.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game. He is also shooting a remarkable 57% from the field including 42.9% from three-point range.
The Joker has taken his game to another level this year and has made a strong case for the MVP award. He has the highest PER this season. If he continues his stellar production, he'll become the first player ever to average 26/10/8 on 55%+ shooting.
