Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - December 28th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors will lock horns in the first game of their back-to-back series at Chase Center on Tuesday.
The Nuggets are coming off a 103-100 win over the LA Clippers, snapping a two-game skid in the process. The Warriors, meanwhile, defeated the Phoenix Suns 116-107 in their previous outing, extending their winning streak to three games.
Match Details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Tuesday, December 28th, 10:00 PM ET [Tuesday, December 28th, 8:30 AM]
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA.
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets have played decently, considering their injury woes this season. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has been a driving force for Michael Malone's side. The Serbian was at it again when he led the team to a 103-100 win over the Clippers on the road.
Jokic had 24 points and 22 rebounds on the night. Five players scored in double-digits to round off a brilliant team effort for the Nuggets. Denver did a solid job with their shooting from long-range. They knocked down 15 attempts from the arc.
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The Denver Nuggets got away with almost blowing a 19-point lead against the Clippers. They cannot afford to do that against the Warriors, though. The Dubs are one of the best second-half teams. Despite their covid and injury-related issues, they could still capitalize on the Nuggets' smallest of mistakes better than most teams in the league.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic has been doing it all this season for the Denver Nuggets. He leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. With no Draymond Green available to guard him for the Golden State Warriors, Jokic could be in for another high-output game. If he manages to capitalize on this, the Nuggets could end up securing a win.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G - Monte Morris, G - Will Barton, F - Aaron Gordon, F - Jeff Green, C - Nikola Jokic.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors are about to start a crucial stretch of the season with several players sidelined due to covid and injuries. They received some positive news in that regard as Andrew Wiggins was cleared from health and safety protocols recently.
The Warriors were without many regular rotation players in their last match. However, they still managed to defeat the Phoenix Suns. Stephen Curry displayed his MVP caliber form with a 33-point outing. Meanwhile, Otto Porter Jr. came up clutch as a starter, tallying 19 points, with 13 in the fourth-quarter alone, on 61% shooting.
36.3 Points Per Game
5.7 Threes Per Game
3 Wins
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The Golden State Warriors' defense was at its lethal best in that match. Draymond Green was the key behind that. They may miss his services as he continues his time in the league's health and safety protocols.
Nevertheless, the Warriors have depth and are a well-coached team. They should be able to work their way through in the absence of Green against the Denver Nuggets.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry finds himself in a similar spot as Nikola Jokic. Both MVP award frontrunners don't have much All-Star caliber help around them entering this matchup.
Curry will need to have a huge game to help the Golden State Warriors prevail. He has rediscovered his groove over the last few games, so the Warriors' camp will be expecting him to fire on all cylinders.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Stephen Curry, G - Gary Payton II, F - Otto Porter Jr., F - Andrew Wiggins, C - Kevon Looney.
Nuggets vs Warriors Match Prediction
The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors are both severely shorthanded entering this game. The Warriors have the better squad depth, though. That favors them to win this tie more compared to their counterparts.
It's their first game playing without so many rotation players, though. It will be interesting to see how they play through this adversity.
Where to watch Nuggets vs Warriors
NBA TV will televise the game between the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors nationally. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.