Friday’s Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors matchup will feature two Western Conference sides. The game will take place in the Chase Center and will be the third game of the regular season series between them. Coach Malone has guided his squad to wins in both previous encounters. Their last game in mid-March saw Aaron Gordon go off for 38 points. Jimmy Butler had a team-high 23 points in the 114-105 loss.
Christian Braun and Gordon are listed as probable for this matchup. Jamal Murray, meanwhile, is questionable to play against the Warriors. Gary Payton II is nearing a return and is considered day-to-day. Assuming most of the rosters are available to give it a go in the Bay Area, this should be a good playoff-like environment in San Francisco.
Over/Under for Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors
Coach Kerr has his team playing well, and Butler appears to have found a bounce in his step again since being traded from Miami. They are on a four-game winning streak. Their wins, however, were against the Lakers, Spurs, Grizzlies, and Pelicans. Each of these sides has noticeable issues and should be evaluated on an individual basis. For tonight’s purposes, this test against a good team will likely prove to be too much for enough scoring to take place.
Even on the road, Denver can be difficult for most to handle. They are on a two-game slide, but they should be able to put up a better effort against their opponents tonight. The point total is too high. Another overtime or high output performance from either Steph Curry or Butler could result in the over. More likely than not, though, the under is safe.
Final pick: Under 235.5 (-110)
Moneyline/Spread for Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors
It’s understandable why the hosts are favorites here. As indicated by the spread, however, this one should be a close one. It’s important to remember that Denver has their number so far. Not enough has happened to suggest that the Warriors will be able to prevent the regular-season sweep.
This is another case of being able to either pick the underdogs to cover or take a slightly bigger risk and pick the away team to win outright. Granted, GSW at home can always play inspired and win in front of their fans. Picking the Nuggets to at least cover, though, is a better option to lean toward.