Nuggets vs Warriors Odds & Prediction: Golden State Poised To Take 2-0 Lead

Golden State (54-29 SU, 42-37-4 ATS) cruised to a 16-point victory in Game 1, improving to 30-12 ATS in its last 42 first-round playoff games. The Warriors opened as 7.5-point favorites for tonight’s Game 2, but Denver (48-35, 37-46) is 6-2 SU and ATS in its last eight following a double-digit loss.

Nuggets vs Warriors Odds & Analysis

Sportsbook Odds 

Following Golden State’s blowout victory in Game 1, oddsmakers opened the Warriors as 7.5-point favorites for tonight — a full point more than they were favored in the opener. The books also adjusted the total up 1.5 points after the teams combined for 230 points on Saturday.

Get the best Nuggets vs Warriors odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Denver Has Excelled This Season Following Lopsided Losses Like Game 1 Blowout

Not much went right for the Nuggets in Game 1, but the good news for Denver backers is that Michael Malone’s team tends to bounce back from poor performances. Denver is 6-2 SU and ATS in its last eight games following a double-digit loss.

In order to square up the series, however, the Nuggets are going to need a lot more from Aaron Gordon and their supporting cast. Gordon managed just eight points on 3-for-10 shooting in the series opener — a huge drop in production from a guy who averaged nearly 20 points per game in his final five regular-season contests — while Nikola Jokic (25 points) and Will Barton (24) were the only Nuggets to score more than 10.

There’s been talk that Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. might both return from lengthy injury absences during this series, but neither player’s status for Game 2 was known at the time of writing. Denver will have Facundo Campazzo back in the lineup, however, after the backup guard missed Saturday’s game due to a one-game suspension.

Golden State’s Balanced Scoring Attack Allows Curry To Ease Back Into Action

Playing his first game in a month due to a foot injury, Steph Curry eased back into action in Game 1, seeing just 22 minutes off the bench. Golden State may opt to use a similar strategy tonight after Jordan Poole went off in place of Curry, hitting nine of 13 field-goal attempts for 30 points in his playoff debut.

Poole’s surprising production also meant the Warriors didn’t need much from Klay Thompson, who attempted just 15 shots and finished with 19 points — the first time in four games that he didn’t score at least 33. Andrew Wiggins (16), Curry (16) and Draymond Green (12) also cracked double figures in Golden State’s balanced attack.

The Warriors are now 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS in their last six games, making them the hotter team to back in your Nuggets vs Warriors prediction. Golden State has typically enjoyed a strong start to the playoffs in the Curry era, going 30-12 ATS in its last 42 games in Round 1.

Nuggets vs Warriors Pick & Insights

Nuggets: Keys to Cover

There’s a lot that Denver can do better tonight than it did in the opener, when the Nuggets allowed 41 points off turnovers and offensive rebounds. The Nuggets also need to play with more determination in the paint after settling for just 13 free throw attempts on Saturday night.

Warriors: Keys to Cover

The Warriors didn’t get much from Curry or Thompson in Game 1 and they still managed to blow the Nuggets off the floor. If either or both of the Splash Brothers find their stroke tonight, a Golden State blowout victory seems like a safe Nuggets vs Warriors prediction.

Odds Shark’s Computer Nuggets vs Warriors Prediction: Nuggets +7

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