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Game Information
Golden State Warriors (32-8) vs. Denver Nuggets (21-18)
How to watch
Date: Monday January 8, 2018
Time: 7:30pm PST
Location: Oracle Arena — Oakland, CA
TV: NBCSN Bay Area
Radio: 95.7 THE GAME
Injury report
Last updated 1/7/18
Warriors: Kevin Durant (questionable)
Nuggets: N/A
The Golden State Warriors will host the Denver Nuggets in the third match-up of the season between these two teams.
Nugget of hope
Denver pulled off a 96-81 upset against Golden State just two weeks ago. In that game, the Nuggets scored 48 points in the paint, caused 18 turnovers and held the Warriors to an astounding 11.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Forcing the Warriors into another dismal three-point shooting performance is likely the only way the Nuggets will repeat their victory.
As has been the case for the past several years, Denver does not have a superstar on their roster. The Nuggets rely on a balanced attack from multiple players — evidenced by the fact that their top eight players average between 9.4 and 16.5 points-per-game.
Everyone on the roster will have to chip-in, as it’s unlikely that the Warriors will have another 81 point showing.
Revolving door Warriors
This season has seen several Warriors’ players out due to a variety of injuries. In their last matchup against Denver, Golden State was missing one Stephen Curry, who was still out due to his ankle injury.
Curry is back in the rotation — and playing better than ever — but this time around there is a chance that another superstar will be missing, Kevin Durant.
However, even if Durant sits, Curry’s been on a tear the past few games, most recently scoring 45 points in 30 minutes against the Los Angeles Clippers. If Curry keeps it rolling against the Nuggets, chances are the Warriors’ shooting percentage will be leaps-and-bounds better than the last time these teams met.
Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, Denver is a potential first-round playoff opponent, so the Warriors can get some valuable reps against these players.
Predictions
Final Score: Warriors 112 - Nuggets 105
High scorer: Stephen Curry