Warriors visit Nuggets as Curry returns for Monday night test
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Golden State visit Denver on Monday night at Ball Arena. Tip-off is 10:00 pm Eastern Time, or 8:00 pm Mountain Time.
- Stephen Curry returns after missing the Phoenix loss. Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Al Horford also return.
- Denver are 7.5-point home favorites. The Nuggets are 1-1, while the Warriors are still looking for their first win.
The Golden State Warriors visit the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. The game tips off at 10:00 pm Eastern Time at Ball Arena in Denver. Fans can watch the game on NBCSN.
Stephen Curry is back for Golden State. He missed the last game, a loss to Phoenix.
His return gives the winless Warriors a lift. It comes at the start of a hard road test.
Search interest in this game has jumped in the United States and Canada. Google Trends shows about 500 searches for the matchup in the past day.
It is the fourth game of the season for Golden State. It is the third game for Denver.
What happened
Golden State are 0-3 to start the season. That is their worst start in 19 years, according to Sports Interaction. They lost 131-122 to Phoenix on Saturday.
Devin Booker scored 43 points in that Phoenix win. Golden State led after the first quarter. Phoenix then pulled away in the later stages of the game.
Curry, Green, Podziemski, and Horford all missed the Phoenix game. They are all off the injury report for Monday.
That gives Golden State a lineup close to its real one. It is the first time this season.
Denver are 1-1 to start the season. They lost their season opener to Oklahoma City. They scored just 84 points in that road loss.
They then beat New Orleans 141-135 in overtime on Saturday. Denver came back from 23 points down in that home game. It was a wild win in front of their own fans.
Nikola Jokic led that comeback. He scored 35 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and passed for 10 assists. That triple-double was the 199th of his career, according to Sports Interaction.
Jamal Murray scored 42 points in the same game. He hit the free throws that forced overtime. Rookie Trevon Brazile added 17 points in his home debut.
Brazile hit a go-ahead corner three in overtime. That shot helped Denver close out a game they once trailed by a wide margin.
Why it matters
The return of Curry changes this game. Golden State have no real attack without him.
They rank 26th in net rating through three games. That figure comes from Sports Illustrated.
Curry draws two defenders on most plays. That opens space for his teammates to shoot. Without him, the Warriors scored 105, 108, and 122 points in their three games.
Denver must still deal with their own injury list. Ten players in total appear on the injury report for this game. Denver could miss four players on Monday night.
Starting forward Cameron Johnson is doubtful with a right ankle sprain. Guard Alpha Diallo is doubtful with a right wrist sprain. Spencer Jones is out with a hamstring injury.
Julian Strawther is also out with a left knee sprain. Those four missed the New Orleans win on Saturday. Denver then trusted young players to fill the gaps.
Two-way rookie Bryce Hopkins started that game. Brazile closed the game in overtime. Denver will likely lean on youth again on Monday night.
Golden State also miss key players. Jimmy Butler is out for the season with a torn ACL. Moses Moody is out after knee surgery.
Kristaps Porzingis is out and not with the team. Gui Santos is questionable with left knee tendinitis. Charles Bassey and Brandon Williams are probable to play.
That leaves Golden State thin up front. Jokic has hurt them in the past.
He averages 30.5 points in his last 10 games against Golden State. That figure comes from Sports Illustrated.
He also averages 13.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists in those games. Golden State rank 19th in the league in rebound percentage. That is a bad mix against a center of his size and skill.
Denver are 7.5-point home favorites. The total for the game is 236.5 points. Those odds come from DraftKings, via Sports Illustrated.
History also favors Denver at home. Golden State last won in Denver in March 2022, according to Sports Interaction. The thin Denver air makes road games hard for visitors.
Denver play at altitude every home game. Visiting teams tire faster in the second half. Golden State must manage their energy if they want to stay close late.
The young Warriors also showed promise on Saturday. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored a season-high 26 points against Phoenix. He made 6 of 11 shots from three-point range.
De'Anthony Melton added 25 points off the bench. That youth gives coach Steve Kerr options. But youth also makes mistakes against a smart team like Denver.
What happens next
A win would give Denver a 2-1 start. It would also be their first time over .500 this season. A win would build on the momentum from the New Orleans comeback.
A loss would drop Denver back to 1-2. It would waste a strong home performance from Jokic and Murray. Denver would then need to win on the road to get back on track.
For Golden State, a win would end the worst start in 19 years. It would give them their first win of the season. It would also show the returning veterans can lift a young roster.
A loss would leave Golden State at 0-4. That would put more pressure on the next games. The Warriors would still wait for Butler, Moody, and Porzingis to return.
The key battle is Jokic against the Golden State front line. Denver will run their attack through him in the paint. Golden State must double him without leaving shooters open.
The second battle is pace. Golden State want to run after stops. Denver want to slow the game and use Jokic in the half-court.
If Curry finds his shot early, Golden State can stay in the game. If Jokic controls the paint, Denver should win at home.
Rive News also covers other basketball games this week. Read about the Bulls visit to Boston on Monday night. See also a preview from the Phoenix game Curry missed.
And read about Oklahoma City stats from a game against Denver.
The Warriors know what they must do. They must protect the ball and make open threes. They must also slow Jokic without fouling him.
The Nuggets know their own task too. They must feed Jokic and trust their young bench. The better team on Monday night will leave Ball Arena with the win.
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