clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Preview: Golden State looks for revenge on the road vs Denver Nuggets

Two days from a close loss in San Francisco, the Warriors take on the MVP Nikola Jokic on his home court.

Denver Nuggets v Golden State Warriors Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors are headed to Denver to square off against theNuggets aka the team that beat them Tuesday night in San Francisco. Although that loss was painful, there’s takeaways in it that the Warriors can utilize in the quick rematch.

Keep the defense stingy

If you turned the last game off at halftime out of disgust, you may be shocked to see these words. The Nuggets did indeed build a 60-36 lead after two quarters, shooting 57% from the field and 46% from downtown during that time period. Check out all the green from their first half shot chart that night:

But fortunately the Warriors drank some of Michael Jordan’s secret stuff from Space Jam, and put ultra clamps on the Nuggets in the second half, limiting them to 29 points in the second half. The Nuggets were shackled to 24% shooting from the field in the latter two quarters, locked into solitary confinement.

WELCOME TO ALCATRAZ! Here’s Denver’s shooting chart from the second half:

It wasn’t enough to secure the victory, but it was enough for the Warriors to familiarize themselves with how to lock the Nuggets down. Can the Dubs bottle some that up for Thursday night?

Make some free throws

Health is on the way

If Poole’s ready to go next game, that will be an automatic boost to the team’s offense. He’s been Golden State’s third-leading scorer this season, and I’d love to see him work against Jokic on any switches. Make the big MVP work on defense!

Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets

December 30th, 2021 | 6:30 PT

Watch: NBC Sports Bay Area, NBA TV | Listen: 95.7 The Game

Poll

Will Golden State get revenge on the road?

This poll is closed

  • 81%
    Yes, Jordan Poole will give the Dubs new life
    (201 votes)
  • 18%
    No, Denver is one of the hardest places to play in all of sports. The altitude will kill the lungs of the shorthanded Dubs
    (47 votes)
248 votes total Vote Now

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Golden State of Mind Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Golden State Warriors news from Golden State of Mind