Warriors vs Nuggets Odds, Spread and Picks (April 2)
- Denver is a 3-point favorite in the Warriors vs Nuggets odds on Sunday
- Nikola Jokic (calf) is questionable for Denver, while Andrew Wiggins (personal) is out for Golden State
- Don’t miss the latest Warriors vs Nuggets odds here, plus injury news and predictions
Sunday’s Warriors vs Nuggets matchup could easily be a battle we see shortly once the postseason gets underway. However, this version of the rivalry may not look anything like what we’d expect to witness in a few weeks. That’s because Denver is dealing with a laundry list of injuries, and it’s unclear how many of their stars will suit up to face Golden State.
The NBA odds don’t expect the injury concerns to be too great to overcome, as the Nuggets have been pegged as the chalk for this Western Conference showdown.
Warriors vs Nuggets Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | +3 (-110) | +125 | OFF |
| Denver Nuggets | -3 (-110) | -145 | OFF |
Denver is currently a 3-point favorite, in a contest without a total as of Saturday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30pm ET at Ball Arena and will mark the third and final meeting between these two squads this season.
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Odds as of April 1 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Warriors vs Nuggets Injury Report
Denver took the first two meetings in the season series, beating Golden State on the road in October, and trouncing them at home in February. Their prospects of a sweep will depend largely on who’s available, as four of their five starters are currently on the injury report.
Nikola Jokic, the reigning two-time champ in the NBA MVP odds, is questionable with a calf injury. He’s sat out the Nuggets last two outings versus New Orleans and Phoenix, and things did not go well. Denver was blown out by the Pelicans at home, and then fell the following night at Phoenix. The Nuggets are now 3-7 without Jokic in the lineup this season, failing to reach 100 points in five straight minus their superstar.
Per Stan Van Gundy…"The Nuggets are the BEST team in the NBA when Nikola Jokic is on the court and they are the WORST team in the NBA when he's off the court…"
So…Most Valuable Player?
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) March 31, 2023
Jamaal Murray (knee), Michael Porter Jr. (heel) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (illness) are all probable, after each missed the contest versus the Suns. Golden State’s injury report features only one name, but it’s a significant one. Andrew Wiggins will miss his 22nd game in a row due to personal reasons. Wiggins is still dealing with a family matter that’s kept him out of the lineup since February 13th.
Warriors vs Nuggets Betting Trends
It’s tough to handicap the Denver side of things without knowing the status of Jokic. The Nuggets are a completely different team without him, averaging 14 fewer points than their season-long mark in games he sits. It’s not hard to figure out why, as the entire offense runs through him. He’s the team’s leading scorer, distributor, and rebounder, and is just the third player in NBA history to record 10+ games with at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.
If Jokic is in the lineup, you can always make a case to buy the Nuggets. They’re the West’s number-one seed for a reason and have won four straight with him on the court. Three of those victories came against NBA Championship odds contenders Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn, although both the Sixers and Bucks were playing shorthanded.
If Jokic sits, the Warriors are an auto-bet at this number. The Nuggets have dropped five straight games that Jokic has missed, losing by at least 7 points four times.
Splash trio today:
Stephen Curry:
33 PTS | 5 AST | 2 REB | 7 THREE | +12Klay Thompson:
31 PTS | 2 AST | 2 REB | 7 THREE | +10Jordan Poole:
27 PTS | 6 AST | 2 REB | 6 THREE | +15 pic.twitter.com/ckj35TQZx1— Chef curry Parody (@baby_face_goat) April 1, 2023
As for the reigning champs, they’ve been raining threes lately. The team buried 21 triples last time out versus San Antonio en route to victory, and are only the second team in NBA history to feature three players (Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole) who’ve each made at least 200 threes.
Golden State is currently occupying the sixth and final playoff spot on the West’s side of the NBA playoff bracket, 1.5 games clear of the Lakers. With just four games left they need a victory to solidify their spot in the First Round, but to do so they’ll have to tighten up on defense. The Warriors have yielded an average of 131 points versus the Nuggets this season.
Warriors vs Nuggets Predictions
Both of their meetings however were before the All-Star Break, and it’s important to note Golden State has cleaned up their D since the break. They rank ninth in defensive rating over the past 20 games, posting a 12-8 record.
Without a clear indication on Jokic’s status, I’ll lean the Warriors in this spot. Yes, the line suggests that Jokic is likely healthy enough to play, but that was also the case Thursday night against the Pelicans and he wound up sitting.
Even if he does suit up, Golden State is one of the few teams that can keep pace with Denver offensively. The Warriors are the third-highest-scoring team in the league, putting up at least 119 points in 10 of 11 while winning five of their last six.
Pick: Golden State Warriors +3 (-110)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
