Preview: Warriors head to Denver to take on Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are standing atop the Western Conference standings with the season winding down, an impressive feat considering the rest of the playoff picture is a murky mess.

Playoff seeds #4 through #9 are separated by only 3.5 games. The Nuggets have separated themselves from the pack, becoming the first team so far in the conference to win 50 games.

Standing in their way today will be the reigning, defending champion Golden State Warriors are trying to recalibrate themselves on the fly and solidify their playoff positioning. Currently they’re the #6 seed, and a win over the Nuggets today would be extremely beneficial in keeping pace in the wild wild West.

Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets

April 2nd, 2023 | 5:30 PM PT

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

I’m sure Denver and their fans haven’t forgotten that the Warriors started their romp to the championship last season by eliminating the Nuggets in the first round.

Denver’s two-time MVP big ma Nikola Jokic put up some INSANE numbers that series, averaging 31 points, 13 rebounds, and just under 6 assists per game. That effort was extremely impressive considering he was missing his highly skilled running mates Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

Murray’s back this season averaging 20 points, while MPJ is bringing 17 points per night of his own. Meanwhile Jokic is basically averaging a triple-double this season, racking up around 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game. No wonder the Nuggets have best record in the conference; they’ve got a guy destroying worlds on a nightly basis.

The Nuggets won both matchups earlier this season with Golden State, including a 134-117 domination back in February. The Dubs have played notoriously terrible on the road this season, only winning 9 times out of 38 attempt so far this season. Meanwhile Denver is elite at home, with a 32-7 record in their friendly confines.

Can the Dubs get a big W on the road today, or will they struggle to knock off this elite squad?