Golden State Warriors (27-7, first in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (17-16, fifth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: A pair of the league's top scorers, Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry, meet when Denver and Golden State face off. Jokic is seventh in the NBA averaging 25.8 points per game and Curry ranks second in the league averaging 27.7 points per game.
The Nuggets are 10-9 in Western Conference games. Denver ranks fourth in the Western Conference with 25.6 assists per game led by Jokic averaging 7.1.
The Warriors are 15-4 in conference games. Golden State ranks third in the Western Conference with 15.1 fast break points per game led by Curry averaging 3.5.
The teams meet for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Dec. 29 the Nuggets won 89-86 led by 22 points from Jokic, while Curry scored 23 points for the Warriors.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is scoring 25.8 points per game and averaging 14.0 rebounds for the Nuggets. Monte Morris is averaging 14.0 points and 3.0 rebounds over the last 10 games for Denver.
Curry is shooting 39.7% from beyond the arc with 5.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Warriors, while averaging 27.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over the past 10 games for Golden State.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.4 points per game.
Warriors: 7-3, averaging 104.3 points, 44.3 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 7.7 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.6 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: PJ Dozier: out (acl), Markus Howard: out (knee), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Bol Bol: out (conditioning), Vlatko Cancar: out (illness), Michael Porter Jr.: out for season (back), Jamal Murray: out (knee), Monte Morris: out (knee).
Warriors: Draymond Green: out (health and safety protocols), Klay Thompson: out (right achilles), Moses Moody: out (health and safety protocols), Damion Lee: out (health and safety protocols), James Wiseman: out (knee), Andrew Wiggins: out (health and safety protocols).
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