What’s up with the Denver Nuggets?
The Nuggets came up with a big win against the New Orleans Pelicans after losing two straight. Nikola Jokic picked up another triple-double, scoring 26 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, and dishing out 15 assists. They lost a couple of games after a seven-game winning straight dating back to the start of the year.
With the win versus the Pelicans, the Nuggets further separated themselves from the pack, now holding a 35-16 win-loss record. The Nuggets are in a good place now that Jamal Murray is back to his All-Star form.
What’s up with the Golden State Warriors?
The Warriors just came off a painful loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was a game they controlled up until the fourth quarter, before losing hold of it in overtime. It stung not only because they had a 14-point lead in the fourth but the loss also halted their three-game winning streak.
Losing to the Wolves also had important implications in the standings. Minnesota is now sixth with a 28-26 record, just one spot higher than the 26-25 Warriors. Without Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves are finding ways to win and finally figuring out how to unleash Anthony Edwards properly. The Warriors, on the other hand, are still in the process of making things work amid injuries to the team.
Storyline to watch out for
For the season, Jokic is averaging a triple-double. He’s on the move to snatch another MVP trophy, but Steph Curry isn’t too far behind just in terms of carrying his team out of the trenches. Jokic and Curry play on opposite ends of the spectrum–one is a heavy hitter who somehow finds a way to make the correct pass all the time; the other is a blur on the court. Both can’t be stopped once they get into the groove.
Jokic versus Curry will be the headliner but expect the Nuggets’ other weapons to come out firing in an attempt to equalize the shooters of Golden State.
Prediction
Who’s going to stop Nikola Jokic? That’s the question the Warriors will be asking from the opening tip until the final buzzer. The sooner the answer manifests during the course of the game, the better it is for them.
Otherwise, expect yet another Jokic triple-double and another win for the top team in the West.
Where to watch
The top-seeded Denver Nuggets get to test their talent against the defending champs Golden State Warriors tomorrow at 10:00 AM on NBA League Pass.
