The Golden State Warriors will look to get the better of Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, who have already twice victimized the Pacific division team this season. Will the Warriors finally take down Denver? Or, will the Nuggets go up 3-0 in their head-to-head series this regular season against Golden State?

Catch this game live on Friday, January 5, 2024 at 11 AM, Manila time

Away: Denver Nuggets (24-11/10-8 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• Jamal Murray
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Michael Porter Jr.
• Aaron Gordon
• Nikola Jokic

After getting smashed by the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder in a 119-93 before the calendar flipped to 2024, the Nuggets kicked off their schedule in the new year with a 111-93 victory over perennial league doormats Charlotte Hornets last Tuesday to cap a four-game home stand on a positive note.  Now. it’s time for the reigning NBA champs to see if they can dominate the Dubs again. 

The Nuggets are 2-0 straight up this season against Golden State, with both games in Colorado. They beat the Warriors in November (108-105) and in December (120-114). While the Nuggets failed to cover in either of those contests, they are entering Friday’s meeting with a five-game win streak in this head-to-head matchup, dating back to last season. In the December Nuggets-Warriors showdown, Jamal Murray led the way for Denver with 28 points, and he could explode again Friday, especially since Golden State is going to be without one of its most important defensive pieces in Gary Payton II (injured). 

Home: Golden State Warriors (16-17/10-8 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• Chris Paul
• Stephen Curry
• Klay Thompson
• Jonathan Kuminga
• Trayce Jackson-Davis

The Warriors finally tasted victory again on Wednesday when they turned away the Orlando Magic in a 121-115 win. That snapped a three-game losing skid by Stephen Curry and company, who, despite the diminishing form of Klay Thompson, are still one of the highest-scoring teams in the league. 

The Warriors are 10th in the NBA with 116.9 points per game with a decent adjusted offensive rating of 116.9 (12th overall). Curry could also be due for an efficient game against the Nuggets after getting held down to only 34.2 FG% in the previous couple of meetings against Denver. So far this season, Curry is averaging 29.1 points with a 42.7 3FG% in home games. He is also coming off a 36-point explosion against Orlando. As a team, the Warriors are 5-2 against the spread in their last games at Chase Center.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Nuggets (-3.0) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total (235.0) hits the Over.