Warriors Rout Nuggets 134-114: Curry, Lendeborg Dominate

The Golden State Warriors walked into Ball Arena on Monday night and ran the Denver Nuggets off the floor, winning 134-114. Stephen Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg were unstoppable, and the Warriors never let Denver find a rhythm. The game turned chippy late, with Aaron Gordon ejected after double technicals, but by then the outcome was decided. This was a statement win for a Golden State team that had started 0-3.

Our premium pick was Denver plus the 7.5-point spread, and it missed. We sold the Nuggets as a value play because our model projected a 119.6-117.4 scoreline — a margin of just 3.3 points against a market number of 7.5. Instead, the Warriors won by 20 and covered with ease. The defensive concerns we flagged for Golden State (123.0 points allowed per game) didn't materialize; the Warriors held Denver in check while their own offense exploded.

The model also called the moneyline for Denver, which lost, and the total for Over. The final combined score was 248 points. Our projected scoreline implied 237.0, so the game finished well above that pace, but the Over result itself was not recorded. Either way, it's little consolation given the spread and moneyline misses.

The takeaway is clear: early-season defensive ratings can be misleading, and a team's winless record doesn't mean it's a pushover. Golden State's 0-3 start masked a capable roster that was due for a breakout. Future picks should weigh recent performance less heavily and account for regression to the mean. We'll adjust our approach and come back stronger.