Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors 4/16/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream

Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Matchup Preview (4/16/22)

The 6th seed Denver Nuggets (48-34) face the 3rd seed Golden State Warriors (53-29) in the First Round of the Western Conference. The last time these teams met in the playoffs was during the 2012/13 season. The Warriors won 4-2 in the First Round that series. Likely MVP Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets this year in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, and FG%. Even though Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr played a combined 9 games, Jokic was able to carry this squad to the 6th seed in a competitive conference. Both players are not expected to return at any time this postseason, but the door is still open. Facundo Campazzo will be suspended for the first game because of his actions during the Lakers game. The offense, though, still remains potent with Jokic running the show. Denver owns the 6th Offensive Rating and are 2nd in FG% at 48.3%. 

Golden State has not been to the playoffs since their loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Finals. The homegrown trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will all be looking for their 4th ring this playoffs. Anything short of a championship will be considered a disappointment assuming their stars are healthy. Curry is expected to play Game 1, but he will be on a minutes restriction. He hasn’t played since Marcus Smart injured him on March 16th. Andrew Wiggins has also been dealing with a back issue. Wiggins will see how he feels in warmups and is a game time decision. Golden State has rising stars – Poole, Kuminga, Moody – who can prove themselves this postseason.

Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Betting Odds

The Nuggets are 3-1 against the Warriors this season with the last game being a 113-102 Warriors win on March 10th. In four games against Golden State, Nikola Jokic averaged 28 PPG, 15.5 RPG, and 8.7 APG on 51.8 FG%. In three games, Curry produced 27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG. He shot 48.2% from the field and 33.3 from deep. Curry and Wiggins’ health make it difficult to predict the outcome of this game. I am going with the Nuggets to upset the Warriors in Game 1. They have no answer for Nikola Jokic and Curry will be on a minutes restriction. I think Golden State ends up winning the series, but Denver will steal this game. Even if you don’t believe the Warriors lose this, the line of -6.5 is way too much. Denver covers at a minimum here.

TV Schedule

Date: 4/16/22
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Arena: Chase Center – San Francisco, CA
Channel: ABC

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Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup

PG: Monte Morris
SG: Will Barton
SF: Jeff Green
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic

Denver Nuggets Analysis

The center matchup is perhaps the most lopsided positional battle in the entire playoffs. Jokic will dominate Kevon Looney in every facet of the game. The Warriors backup center is Nemanja Bjelica, who is a bad defender. When Jokic posts up, he should anticipate Draymond Green doubling him almost frequently. Teams have tried everything against Jokic and the Nuggets, but it hasn’t worked. Denver is 1st in Post Up offense efficiency and 4th in Spot Up offense. His passing ability means he can find the open man, and his size means defenders hardly deter his passing lanes. Because of his height, he has the 5th passing lane open, which is over the defenders head. 

No matter how well Jokic plays, he needs his teammates to hit shots and create shots in order to beat the Warriors in a 7-game series. If Aaron Gordon can stretch the floor and pull Draymond away from the paint, it will allow Jokic to isolate Looney around the basket. Gordon is also a terror in transition who can score easy points. Monte Morris and Will Barton have to take pressure off of Jokic and create offense off the dribble. Forcing Curry and Klay to expend energy on defense will somewhat detract from their offense. Overall, the Nuggets must run their system through Jokic while getting contributions from other ball handlers. 

Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup

PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Draymond Green
C: Kevon Looney

Golden State Warriors Analysis

If Looney struggles instantly, the Warriors may stick Draymond on Jokic and not double at all. Golden State might allow Jokic to score more points if it means less passes from him to open spot up shooters. Allowing Jokic to score 35 while limiting him to 5-6 assists may be the plan in this series. Curry’s health will be paramount to their success. Jordan Poole showed he can replicate Curry’s production, but he would be a formidable weapon off the bench similar to Tyler Herro for the Heat. Winning the bench minutes would relieve the starting lineup of pressure. The bench can either cut the deficit caused by Jokic, or they can build upon the small lead. 

Klay Thompson’s production will be key for the Warriors. He started slow, but he’s picked it up recently in regards to his shooting. Klay can get hot from deep at any moment, along with Curry and Poole. The new death lineup of Curry, Poole, Klay, Wiggins, and Draymond will almost certainly make an appearance at some point. If that unit can have success, they look like the best team to challenge the Phoenix Suns for Western Conference supremacy.