Warriors’ Championship Odds Increase Significantly After Routing Nuggets

The Golden State Warriors have dominated the Denver Nuggets through two games in the first round of the playoffs, looking like one of the league’s top championship contenders. Golden State has played so well that its odds to win the 2022 NBA Finals have increased significantly before Denver has played a single home game.

With a 2-0 series lead over the Nuggets, the Warriors have +500 championship odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. At the start of the 2022 playoffs, Golden State was given +900 odds to win this year’s NBA Finals.

Only the Phoenix Suns (+200) and Milwaukee Bucks (+470) have better odds to win the championship than the Warriors. Golden State is now ahead of the Brooklyn Nets (+1400), which ranked ahead of the Warriors only a few days ago.

It isn’t just the fact that the Warriors have beaten the Nuggets in two straight games. Golden State started the series as a heavy favorite to reach the second round. The ease in which the Warriors have taken a 2-0 lead, as well as the play of Stephen Curry, have bolstered Golden State’s outlook for the rest of the playoffs.

Steph Curry off the bench:

34 PTS
12-17 FG
5-10 3P
in 23 MINS

That’s the most points in a playoff game in 23 minutes or fewer since 1975 (regardless of starting or not). pic.twitter.com/8bLtzgdRda
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 19, 2022

In each game, the Warriors have won by more than 15 points and scored at least 123 points. Golden State cruised to a Game 1 victory despite a pedestrian 5-13 shooting performance by Curry. Curry was outstanding in Game 2, scoring 34 points on 12-17 shooting in just 23 minutes.

“The first half a little pep in my step and the body felt good, I was able to kind of get to some spots,” Curry told reporters after Game 2. “When you make certain shots it feels a little different, it feels a little bit more normal and more emotion kind of comes out, especially with that layoff, so it was a nice feeling.”

Curry has come off the bench in each contest after missing a month with a foot injury. The second round of the playoffs doesn’t start for another two weeks. Curry might be close to 100% when the Warriors are finally threatened this postseason.

The Warriors were the NBA’s second-best team until injuries slowed them down during the regular season. Draymond Green might’ve been on his way toward winning Defensive Player of the Year before a back injury kept him off the court for almost half the season. Curry’s foot limited him to 64 games.

Final tally for the Poole-Klay-Curry-Wiggins-Draymond lineup in the first half: 22-8 in five minutes. They've now outscored the Nuggets 42-14 in 10 minutes this series. That's a 28. Completely changed the tenor of both games.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 19, 2022

Green and Curry appear to be back on track. Klay Thompson is starting to look like his All-Star self, averaging 30 points on 49.2% three-point shooting in the last five games. Jordan Poole has been even better in the playoffs, scoring 29.5 points per game on 65.9% shooting.

Curry, Green, Thompson, and Poole are essentially playing together for the first time. If the Warriors remain healthy, they have a great chance to reach their sixth NBA Finals in nine seasons.