Denver takes on Steph Curry in its second preseason game
After a close loss in a fun-filled pre-season opener against the LA Clippers, the Bones-Bol-and-MPJ show heads up the California coast to take on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Golden State is a somewhat new-look team with offseason additions of Otto Porter Jr and Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson waiting in wings to return from his Achilles injury. The Warriors will be a good team this year and should be in contention for a playoff spot. They overtook the Portland Trail Blazers in their first preseason game 121-107.
New dad and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic should make his preseason debut and there is a chance Will Barton will play after suffering an ankle injury in training camp, though he is officially listed as doubtful. With those two back in the lineup, Denver should get a look at what will likely be the starting lineup until Jamal Murray returns, Monte Morris/Barton/MPJ/Aaron Gordon/Jokic. Fun times ahead!
The Basics
Who: Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
When: 8:00pm MT
How to Watch: League Pass?
Three Things to Watch
Bones Train. One of the most talked about players from training camp was Bones Hyland, who more than lived up to the hype against the Clippers. Bones went 8-13 from the field for 19 points, but more than anything showed he can be a ballhandler and shot creator off the dribble. He also did a great job getting to the paint. Without Jamal Murray, these skillsets are even more important for the Nuggets. Will it translate to actual playing time in the regular season? Who knows, but for this preseason run he should get a lot of burn, which means a lot of highlight reels.
Consistency for MPJ. Michael Porter Jr. is going to play a critical role on the team this year, even more this season than in years’ past. He made it look so easy on Monday, bursting for 16 points in the first quarter, knocking down threes, getting to the line a few times. It was a good sign that he was aggressive and scoring often, as that will be his bread and butter for the Nuggets. His 23 points on 9-15 shooting can serve as a baseline for what we should expect from him nightly moving forward.
Bol Bol’s effort. Another name to look for coming out of training camp was Bol Bol, who seems to have found a renewed sense of purpose this offseason. He had a fantastic game against the Clippers, putting up 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 highlight-reel worthy blocks in his 20 minutes. When he shows up motivated, Bol can be an impact player – but will it be too little too late for him in Denver? This preseason might be the last chance he has to crack the roster…
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