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Golden State Warriors: Ranking 5 biggest challengers in West

By Tony Pesta

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on March 15, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on March 15, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Golden State Warriors (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /

Denver Nuggets will cause problems for Golden State Warriors

Last season’s MVP was stonewalled by a lack of help in the playoffs. A vital injury to his sidekick, Jamal Murray, put a hard cap on how far the Denver Nuggets could go.

Thankfully, Murray will be back this year and provide the dynamic shot creation needed to demand attention from the defense and relieve Jokic of the immense attention he draws in. This inside-out duo is one of the best in the league and is going to wreak havoc at full strength.

Murry and Jokic combined to pull off a miraculous run to the Western Conference Finals in 2020, knocking off the heavy-hitter LA Clippers. Now, Jokic is coming off a season in which he averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists.

Few teams in the league can gameplan for Jokic but the Golden State Warriors could have an exceptionally rough time competing against him. James Wiseman’s inexperience could make him incredibly vulnerable to a masterful player like Jokic.

Still, the Nugget’s supporting cast leaves much to be desired. This evens the playing field for Golden State. Not to mention, the Dubs still have the ultimate equalizer in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson — two offensive powers who can overcome any deficit.

Even more key could be Draymond Green. He sacrifices quite a bit of height against Jokic — but his defensive toughness might be the solution to any matchup with Denver.

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