Brooklyn Nets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - January 29th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving will battle for the first time this season when the visiting Brooklyn Nets square off against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. [Photo: SFGate]

The Brooklyn Nets will have James Harden and Kyrie Irving when they travel to Chase Center to take on the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Brooklyn will be looking to even the season series against Golden State in their rematch.

Without three of their best players in the lineup, the Brooklyn Nets lost to reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in their last game. They have now lost three straight, including back-to-back home games. Having Irving and Harden will be a big boost, but they will have to be at their best against the Warriors on the latter’s home floor.

The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, strung together 3 straight wins after alternating victories and losses in their previous four. Steph Curry blasted out of a prolonged shooting drought to tag team with Klay Thompson for their latest win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Let's keep it rolling ⚡️ https://t.co/yb4yu0VEU9

The Bay Area team will still miss the services of Draymond Green but will have Klay Thompson, newly-named All-Star starter Andrew Wiggins and emerging sharpshooter Jordan Poole. Curry and Thompson played their best game of the season as a duo in the win versus the Timberwolves. They could be in for another hot-shooting night against one of the best teams in the East.

Match Details

Fixture: Brooklyn Nets vs Golden State Warriors | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Saturday, January 29th; 8:30 PM ET (Sunday, January 30th; 7:00 AM IST)

Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

Brooklyn Nets Preview

The Brooklyn Nets are still looking forward to a healthy and available Big 3 before the season ends. [NBA.com]

The Brooklyn Nets’ turmoil continues to grab the headlines in their latest loss to the Denver Nuggets. James Harden had to be sidelined due to soreness in his hamstring, an injury that he has had to battle the last few years. Although resting him was probably just a precaution, Harden’s been playing major minutes often without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Steve Nash and his squad are still likely to make the playoffs without going through the play-in tournament. However, Harden’s heavy workload in home games could compromise his troublesome hamstring. The Brooklyn Nets played Harden through the same injury in the playoffs, but he was certainly nowhere near his best self. That could be the case once again if the Brooklyn Nets’ chaotic season continues.

Key Player - James Harden

James Harden has slowly rounded into form after a very shaky start to the season. The NBA assists leader is now starting to showcase his All-Star form, playing beautiful music with Kevin Durant before he went down with an injury. This term he has toggled between solid and spectacular on his own or when teaming up with Kyrie Irving of late in road games.

Steve Nash responds to the rumors of James Harden's concerns with the Nets including with their rotations:

"James and I speak all the time...I'm not sure the validity of these comments, to be honest with you" https://t.co/1gFb8FcLEh

“The Beard” is averaging 23 points, 10.1 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest. The Brooklyn Nets have needed his production and will continue to need his production to keep the team going while waiting for KD to return from injury.

Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup

G - Kyrie Irving | G - Patty Mills | F - James Harden | F - Kessler Edwards | C - Day’Ron Sharpe

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Golden State Warriors Preview

The Golden State Warriors are only bound to get stronger once Draymond Green and James Wiseman return. [Photo: SFGate]

The Golden State Warriors won their fourth straight game after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves last Thursday. Grabbing the headlines, however, was Steph Curry, who appeared to break out of a rough shooting slump with his performance. Curry had a magnificent game overall, leading the Warriors in scoring, rebounding and assists.

Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole joined Curry’s hot shooting. Thompson and Poole combined to shoot 14-26, draining 8-13 shots from beyond the arc. When the trio are firing on all cylinders, there’s almost no way to stop the Golden State Warriors from torching their opponents.

The Golden State Warriors’ superb backcourt shooting opened up opportunities for wing players like Otto Porter Jr. and Andrew Wiggins, the latter who went an impressive 5-8 from long-range. The Brooklyn Nets will be in for a long night if the Warriors as a whole are able to carry on their shooting spree.

Key Player - Steph Curry

Despite his recent struggles, head coach Steve Kerr has been praising his point guard’s overall performance and leadership. No one was worried about Curry’s shooting woes as the Golden State Warriors’ best player was likely to bounce back at some point.

Even if Steph Curry falls back into another shooting funk, it’s safe to say that NBA defenses will continue to key in on him. As long as he is on the court for the Golden State Warriors, he will have the respect and attention of the opposing team. His presence alone will already bring more opportunities for everyone on the floor to take advantage of.

Making his 8th #NBAAllStar appearance... Stephen Curry of the @warriors.

Drafted as the 7th pick in 2009 out of Davidson, @StephenCurry30 is averaging 25.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 6.2 APG for the Warriors this season. https://t.co/V5fE0iyBVA

The reigning scoring champ is averaging 25.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals. Brooklyn’s defense will certainly focus on him after his slump-busting display against the Timberwolves.

Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup

G - Steph Curry | G - Klay Thompson | F - Andrew Wiggins | F - Otto Porter Jr. | C - Kevon Looney

Nets vs Warriors Match Prediction

Kyrie Irving and James Harden make the Brooklyn Nets a tough matchup on the road, but the Golden State Warriors are in better form. The Warriors' defense has been stout throughout the campaign and could be what allows the Dubs to sweep the season series against Brooklyn.

Where to watch the Nets vs Warriors game

National coverage of the encounter between the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets will be aired on ABC and is available to stream on NBA League Pass.

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