The first half of the season for the Nuggets gave them flashbacks to their 2023 championship-winning roster. With Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Russell Westbrook looking in fine form, they seemed destined to do it all over again. But a 5-5 record in the last 10 means they have to get back into the thick of things before heading into the playoffs.

They face an in-form Warrior’s side next, who’ve been balling since the introduction of Jimmy Butler from Miami. With 7 wins on the bounce, it’ll take an all-timer to stop them in their tracks at the Chase Center.

The Nuggets comfortably the best of the rest in the West. The Thunder might have the division wrapped up in March, and it seemed like the Nuggets were the only team worthy enough to challenge them. But their loss to 15th-placed Wizards summed up their season perfectly. Jokic turned up again with a ridiculous 40-point 13-board double-double along with 9 assists, but the team couldn’t do their job defensively as they lost 126-123. The Serb has played in 62 of their 68 games this season, so his fitness was never a doubt- until today. According to ESPN, he’s questionable to play against the Warriors due to an elbow/ankle issue.

If there’s one man who’s been an undeniable supporting act to the Joker’s antics, it’s Jamal Murray. It seems fit that both their nicknames the Joker and the Riddle- speak perfectly of their partnership on the floor. He scored the most points out of anyone other than Jokic in their loss to the Wizards, coughing up 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists at the Ball Arena. He suffered a right ankle sprain on Saturday but still came out to play after. But he’s listed as questionable against the Warriors.

But their woes don’t end there. There are two more potential starting 5s on the list. One of them is forward Aaron Gordon, who’s also listed as questionable due to a calf/ankle problem. He’s been in and out of contests due to a plethora of ankle and calf injuries. His absence could see Westbrook get into the starting 5, with Peyton Watson also possible to get an increased role. As for guard Christian Braun, he’s listed as probable for the Warriors clash due to a foot problem.

The only two confirmed outs for the Nuggets are guard Julian Strawther and center DaRon Holmes II. Strawther will miss the rest of March and be re-evaluated in the next two weeks due to a knee injury, while Holmes has been participating in portions of practice after a torn Achilles potentially put him out of contention for the rest of the season.

Nuggets predicted lineup ahead of Warriors clash

Michael Malone has a lot of thinking to do. Jokic and Murray are on the brink of burnout- and they’re still not confirmed to be in the playoffs. He needs to rotate his squad well enough in order to prevent that. On that note, this is the Nuggets predicted lineup:

The Nuggets do seem to have a playoff spot clinched, but even a little bit of complacency could prove to be vital. Fans have suggested that a win tonight against the Warriors isn’t as important as letting the likes of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray get some much-needed rest. Do you think they’re right in this notion?