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• Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets
• Sunday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. ET
• Chase Center in San Francisco, California
There’s a loaded list on the NBA schedule for this weekend, highlighted by some primetime games in the Western Conference. It goes without saying, but countless eyes will be on the showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. Both these teams are loaded with a ton of talent, but Denver, on paper, is looking much better this year. With that said, the Warriors are hoping to upset the Nuggets on Sunday night.
Will Golden State be able to get the job done? That’s not going to be an easy task, as the Nuggets have been tremendous this year. Keep in mind that Denver won the NBA Finals last season, which was a major surprise. Now, though, the Nuggets are looking to repeat as champions and there’s a strong chance that Nikola Jokic will take home NBA MVP honors. It goes without saying, but the Golden State defense will have its hands full trying to slow him down.
| Nuggets vs. Warriors odds |  |  |  |
| Nuggets to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Warriors to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The Warriors have a lot of offensive firepower, though, and people are ready to see what they’ll be able to do against a strong Denver defense at the Chase Center. Obviously, there’s going to be a ton of pressure on Steph Curry to shoot lights out. The same can be said for Klay Thompson. It’s been a bit of a down year for Thompson, but when he catches fire, he’s lethal with the ball in his hands. He is going to have to play lights out against the Nuggets.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Nuggets are the favorites with their -110 NBA betting odds, but the Warriors feel quite confident even if they’re holding +125 NBA betting odds. Denver is going to enter this game with a ton of confidence, but Golden State isn’t a team that will back down from a challenge. Because of that, we think a surprise will be on the way – we’re going with the Warriors as our pick in this case.
GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/5r6JkF6VfN
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 22, 2024
The Warriors know they have to play better to make the playoffs
Golden State has to up its game, as the Warriors know they have to play better to make the playoffs. As of this writing, Golden State is 27-26 on the year, which has them in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. While they’re outside of the Top 8, they’re still in contention via the play-in tournament for the postseason. However, if they go on a losing streak and don’t play better, they could find themselves in 11th before you know it and out of contention.
This is the last thing anyone wants to see. There is simply too much history surrounding this roster and the idea of a team with Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green missing out on the playoffs is wild to even think about. However, Golden State has looked rough overall this year and the first half of the season didn’t go as planned. Despite that, Curry and Co. are hoping that a big second half will be on the way now that the All-Star Game has come and gone.
“Enjoy y’all last win”😳
– Steph Curry’s message to the Boston Celtics after Game 3 in the 2022 Finals
(Via Juwan Morgan on @TidalLeague /
h/t @warriorsworld ) pic.twitter.com/xSyq5tyL3d— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 22, 2024
“I think the natural evolution of all of our careers is trying to figure out how to continue to win, but it might look a little different,” Curry said on the ups and downs for the Warriors thus far this season. “The way that he responded is the Klay Thompson that I know — the true competitor, the true dawg. He got pissed off and said, ‘Watch this.’ I think a lot of it is just knowing who he is.”
Per the oddsmakers, the Warriors hold +375 NBA betting odds to make the postseason. Again, the fact that Golden State isn’t a lock to make the playoffs is not what anyone expected to be written at this point of the year. It’s been a down season for the Warriors and the Lakers, which has felt like a shock. However, both teams have what it takes to get things back on the right track. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors will be able to do that or not.
Nikola Jokic is the favorite to win NBA MVP
With so many people getting ready to watch this game, it’s important to remember that Nikola Jokic is the favorite to win NBA MVP. The Nuggets big man has been on a tear this year and there’s no question that he’s one of the best players in the league. With the repeated success we’re seeing from Denver this year, it’s only boosting Jokic’s chances of winning the award. However, there are other players looking to come out on top.
The list includes Jayson Tatum, who recently said that he thinks he’s the best player in the NBA. With the Boston Celtics playing so well and owning the top record in the league, we think Tatum surely belongs in the conversation. However, if we had to make a pick, we’d surely go with Jokic.
