Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets Prediction & Match Preview - March 7th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The heavily-shorthanded Golden State Warriors will take on the Denver Nuggets in a make up game on Monday. [Photo: The Denver Post]

The Golden State Warriors will finish their four-game road trip with a match against the Denver Nuggets on Monday at Ball Arena in Denver. Golden State is winless in two games this season against reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Steve Kerr’s team will be heavily undermanned heading into the game against the Nuggets. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II will not suit up for the Golden State Warriors. Kerr isn’t happy with the scheduled makeup game and will not allow his best players to take to the court.

The sixth-placed Denver Nuggets are slowly creeping their way into the top 4 of the Western Conference standings. They are only 2.5 games behind the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz. Denver is also only a game behind the Dallas Mavericks in the standings.

The locker room vibes were immaculate tonight 🤌 https://t.co/N8jTbBhXUB

Nikola Jokic displayed his out-of-this-world brilliance yet again in the Denver Nuggets’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Serbian superstar dropped 30 of his 46 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to tow the Nuggets to the win. They can only hope to have enough energy against the Warriors in the second game of a back-to-back.

Match Details

Fixture: Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Monday, March 7th; 9:00 PM ET (Tuesday, March 8th; 7:30 AM IST)

Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

Golden State Warriors Preview

Head coach Steve Kerr will not play his best players in the make up game in Denver on Monday. [Photo: First Sportz]

The struggling Golden State Warriors are suddenly looking vulnerable. They hardly looked like the juggernaut that started the season even without Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. With Thompson back on the court, it has been Green’s absence that has been sorely missed.

The headline heading into the Golden State Warriors game against the Nuggets, though, is the Warriors’ refusal to let their players see action on Monday. The NBA scheduled the upcoming game to make up for the postponed match back in December due to the Omicron outbreak.

Steve Kerr with a clear message to the League that he didn’t the appreciate how they handled the makeup game against Denver.

Says he won’t even send any of his high minute guys to Denver to play. https://t.co/7GHsbrAS7V

Role players will undoubtedly get heavy minutes in this game for the Golden State Warriors.

Key Player - Jordan Poole

Almost by default, Jordan Poole will be the Golden State Warriors’ key player. The 22-year-old combo guard has been a pleasant surprise for the Warriors while waiting for the return of Klay Thompson. Despite coming off the bench upon Thompson’s arrival, he has been quite steady until Draymond Green’s injury.

Jordan Poole on his fluctuating role: “You just gotta find a way to play through it.”

Starter or off the bench make a difference?

“As long as I’m out there playing.” https://t.co/dclMh2aqS2

Poole has been tasked with orchestrating the plays while Steph Curry sits, which is part of the reason why his scoring has dipped. From 17.3 points on 44.6% shooting with Draymond Green, his averages have dropped to 15.1 with 43.7% efficiency without the Warriors’ point guard.

Jordan Poole will have his hands full trying to lead the undermanned Golden State Warriors to a win over the Nuggets.

Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup

G - Jordan Poole | G - Damion Lee | F - Juan Toscano-Anderson | F - Otto Porter Jr. | C - Kevon Looney

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Denver Nuggets Preview

The Denver Nuggets have defied expectations all season long behind Nikola Jokic's glittering season. [Photo: Hoops Habit]

The Denver Nuggets will likely catch a break after an exhausting overtime game against the New Orleans Pelicans when they face the Warriors on Monday. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon played 43 minutes each in their thrilling win. It will be tough to face Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins after a backbreaking battle.

Monte Morris drained the winning three-point shot in the Denver Nuggets' win over the Warriors in their last matchup. Hopefully, they won’t need another heroic shot to add another win to their record.

The Denver Nuggets are looking to just avoid the play-in, but could also hunt for a top-four spot in the West. Getting that top-four spot will be needed to gain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs and give Nikola Jokic’s back-to-back MVP bid a huge boost.

Denver has to be on their toes, though, as the Warriors can still pull off an upset.

Key Player - Nikola Jokic

It’s unbelievable how much better Nikola Jokic has played this season compared to his MVP campaign last year. The game against the New Orleans Pelicans encapsulated the Serbian’s game this season.

The four-time All-Star scored crucial baskets in the final canto and the overtime period. He ended with an astonishing line of 46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and four blocks. Jokic is just the second player in league history to record a 45-point triple-double while hitting at least 70% of field goal attempts.

Nikola Jokic tonight:

46 PTS (30 in 4Q and OT)
12 REB
11 AST
3 STL
4 BLK
16-22 FG

He is the 2nd player in NBA history with a 45-point triple-double on 70% shooting. The other was Wilt Chamberlain. https://t.co/2GLnZnDWfr

Even without counting advanced metrics, which Nikola Jokic rules by a wide margin, his traditional stats are just as impressive.

Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup

G - Monte Morris | G - Will Barton | F - Jeff Green | F - Aaron Gordon | C - Nikola Jokic

Warriors vs Nuggets Match Prediction

The Denver Nuggets have played without two of their best players for most of the season and have learned to adapt to adversity. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors will hardly be recognizable with the lineup they’ll roll out on Monday.

Nikola Jokic was unstoppable in their last game and without Golden State’s iconic superstars, the Denver Nuggets should ease past the Warriors.

Where to watch the Warriors vs Nuggets game

NBA TV will air the game live on national TV. Local coverage of the matchup is available via NBC Sports Bay Area and Altitude Sports.

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