NBA Game Preview: Golden State Warriors (0-3) vs. Denver Nuggets (1-1)

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Tipoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

The winless Warriors travel to altitude to face a Nuggets team that bounced back with a high-scoring overtime win in their last outing. Denver enters as a solid home favorite looking to build momentum, while Golden State seeks its first victory of the young season amid ongoing injury challenges.

Injury Reports

Golden State Warriors:

Jimmy Butler III (knee) — Out

Moses Moody (knee) — Out

Kristaps Porziņģis (illness) — Out

Stephen Curry (rest/management) — Day-to-day / expected available in many reports

Brandin Podziemski (back) — Day-to-day / recent positive updates indicate availability

Al Horford (back) — Day-to-day

Additional notes include Gui Santos (knee tendinitis, questionable/day-to-day) and others with lesser designations.

Denver Nuggets:

Julian Strawther (knee) — Out

Spencer Jones (hamstring) — Out

Cameron Johnson (ankle) — Day-to-day / doubtful

Alpha Diallo (wrist) — Day-to-day / doubtful

Golden State has been significantly shorthanded early, while Denver is missing depth pieces on the wing/forward spots.

Current Player Rosters

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Georges Niang, Brandon Williams, Gui Santos, Charles Bassey, and others (with Butler and Porziņģis sidelined). Young talent like Lendeborg has seen expanded opportunity.

Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, DeMar DeRozan, Cameron Johnson (status uncertain), Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, and supporting pieces including Trevon Brazile and others. The core of Jokić-Murray-Gordon remains the engine.

Key Player vs. Player Matchups

Nikola Jokić vs. Draymond Green / Al Horford / frontcourt: Classic chess match. Jokić’s playmaking, scoring, and rebounding against Green’s versatility and physicality. Denver’s edge in size and skill at the five is significant if Golden State lacks full frontcourt depth.

Jamal Murray vs. Stephen Curry / Brandin Podziemski: Scoring and creation battle in the backcourt.

Murray has been explosive early (including a 42-point outing recently); Curry’s availability and shooting gravity will dictate spacing.

Aaron Gordon / wings vs. Yaxel Lendeborg / Warriors wings: Athleticism, switching, and secondary scoring. Gordon’s finishing and defense will be tested by Golden State’s perimeter movement.

Overall pace and three-point volume: Warriors rely on spacing and ball movement; Nuggets thrive in half-court sets with Jokić as the hub and transition opportunities.

Recent Team Forms

Warriors (0-3): Losses at Lakers, vs. Memphis (close), and at Phoenix. Struggled with consistency and injuries; first 0-3 start in nearly two decades. Offense has been uneven (around 111-112 PPG early) while allowing high totals.

Nuggets (1-1): Loss at Oklahoma City, followed by a 141-135 OT home win over New Orleans featuring strong performances from Murray and Jokić. Competitive and capable of high-output offense at home.

Denver holds the better recent form and home-court advantage in a building where they traditionally perform well.

Series History

The teams have a competitive recent history. Nuggets have generally held the edge in recent seasons, particularly at home, though Golden State has pulled off notable wins in prior years. Early 2026-27 meetings will continue a long-standing Western Conference rivalry featuring star power on both sides.

Betting Trends

Early-season totals have been elevated in several Western games, and both teams have been involved in higher-scoring contests.

Game Odds

Golden State Warriors                   236.5

Denver Nuggets                                – 7

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, October 25, 2026

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