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The Golden State Warriors will host the Denver Nuggets, up 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs in the Western Conference, on Wednesday night.
The Nuggets avoided getting swept on Sunday by defeating the Warriors 126-121 in Denver. Nikola Jokic scored 37 points, while Monte Morris added 24.
The Warriors have been using star point guard Stephen Curry off the bench, but it looks like he may finally be inserted into the starting lineup.
They've mainly rolled with a lineup of Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. On Sunday, all of these players surpassed 31 minutes each. Curry dropped 33 points to go with eight assists in 37 minutes, so he'll probably see these minutes again Wednesday.
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"There is momentum toward the Golden State Warriors having their most lethal lineup as the starting five tonight vs. Denver in Game 5 – Stephen Curry back in, with Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Final decision to be made today," Shams Charania tweeted.
The Nuggets need production outside of Jokic once again to force a Game 6. Bones Hyland provided a spark off the bench on Sunday, scoring 15 points, including three triples. Denver shot the lights out from downtown, going 15-for-31, so they'll need some hot shooting once again, as difficult as that may be to replicate.
"Bones Hyland is the first player over the last 25 postseasons with three 30-footers in a single quarter..." - ESPN Stats & Info
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors Match Details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets @ Golden State Warriors
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 27th, 10:00 P.M. EDT
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors Betting Odds
The Nuggets have won just once of their last seven games as underdogs in the playoffs, a stat that doesn't bode well for their chances of an upset Wednesday.
The Warriors were 31-10 at home during the regular season, and they defeated the Nuggets by 16 and 20 points, respectively, during Games 1 and 2.
In both of these teams' last five games, the total has gone over. It's also gone over in six of Denver's last seven games on the road, signs that oddsmakers are both overvaluing these teams' defenses and undervaluing the pace of play.
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors best picks
With Stephen Curry likely starting, he is sure to see around 40 minutes if the game remains close. Even if he doesn't start, he's averaged 27.5 points and 5.5 assists in the series, even with being on a strict minutes restriction during Games 1 and 2. Expect Curry to have a strong Game 5 as he's been in a scoring groove since returning from his foot injury.
Pick: Stephen Curry Over 33.5 Points + Assists (-120)
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors betting prediction
Even with the Nuggets desperate, the Warriors have been too dominant with their home crowd cheering them on. Golden State outscored opponents by an average of 9.9 points per contest at Chase Center, and in a lot of those games, the Dubs weren't at full strength.
The over has been hit in every game this series, and expect that to be the case again, even if the game slows down towards the end. Also, expect a double-digit win that knocks the Nuggets out of the postseason.
Prediction: Golden State Warriors -8.5 (-108) & Over 225.5 Points (-110)
