Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
Time: 9:30 PM CT (NBA LP)
Spread: GSW -15
Total: 214.5
Betting odds c/o Pincle
The Denver Nuggets have dropped four straight games with losses to the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Three of those four teams are contenders, and it faces yet another when it travels to face the Golden State Warriors Saturday night on NBA League Pass.
NBA oddsmakers set the line 15-points in favor of the hosting Warriors.
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Denver has been without its No. 7 overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay who is nursing an ankle injury. Mudiay had struggled badly with his shooting, but his playmaking ability and defense were helping the Nuggets be a more competitive team than most expected. With the aged Jameer Nelson starting in his place, the Nuggets are hardly the same team.
Mudiay is set to miss another seven-to-ten days.
The biggest reason Denver had surprised early this season, though, was the resurgence of Italian forward Danilo Gallinari. “Gallo” came as the main chip in the deal that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York, and he is indisputably Denver’s finest offensive talent.
Gallinari is averaging 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range. Gallo is attempting 12.4 field goals per game, second to only Will Barton. Gallinari has missed the last six games with a sprained ankle but is listed as questionable for this game.
Barton for his part has been extremely efficient and capable of great offensive outbursts. He is averaging 16.7 points and six boards per game while posting a team-high PER of 20.73. Over his last five games, he has been sensational, shooting 51.7 percent from the floor on 17.4 field goal attempts per game to average 22.4 points over that span.
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, only one of those contests resulted in a win (against the Phoenix Suns), and getting anywhere against the Dubs tonight will prove difficult. The Thunder may lack offensive firepower outside of Durant and Westbrook, but Billy Donovan has the Thunder paying superb team defense. The 6’6” Barton could be frustrated by Durant’s long frame and active hands, but with Wilson Chandler also out for the season the Nuggets lack suitable defenders to throw at Durant.
The Warriors are expected to get Stephen Curry back for this game, and it could not come a second sooner with the team having suffered its second loss of the season to the Dallas Mavericks and barely having slid past the Houston Rockets.
While many rave about the Warriors depth, it was certainly a different (and inferior) team it put out during his absence. Curry does so many things other than just score the basketball and hit long triples, and it was readily apparent that this Warriors team is not a contending team without its superstar.
Perhaps that is to be expected when 30.5 points, 6.4 assists and 2.17 steals are debited from the lineup. Klay Thompson had a monster game against the Rockets, as the 2-guard outscored James Harden 38 to 30 in the game. Thompson has been a little off this season, but is still nearly averaging 20 points per game while hitting 43.4 percent of his triples.
The biggest revelation for the 30-2 Warriors has been that Draymond Green can seemingly do everything. Green is averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game this season. His defensive contributions are equally as impressive and he could contend for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season. Green comes up with 2.72 steals/blocks per game, and he posts the second highest PER of any Warrior (19.2).
The Nuggets do not stand much of a chance of winning this game, and maybe that goes without saying for games that have double-digit spreads. Even without Curry, the Dubs still would have little trouble disposing of a Nuggets team mostly bereft of game changing talents. Will Barton is a quality NBA player, but he is hardly a true No. 1 option, which is what he will have to be with Gallinari (likely to be out) and Mudiay both on the shelf.
