In one of the headline games across the 10 matchups taking place tonight, the Golden State Warriors will take on the Denver Nuggets. Stephen Curry and company will be back in action for the second consecutive night after defeating the Lakers last night. They now will take on Nikola Jokic and Denver in another difficult Western Conference battle.
Golden State has climbed to the fifth seed in the Western Conference with six games remaining on their regular season schedule. Their outlook changed greatly following the addition of Jimmy Butler with the Warriors holding a 19-4 record when he is in the lineup. Denver sits in third place in the conference, 1.5 games above Golden State, and holds a half-game lead over the fourth-seeded Lakers. With the season winding down and every matchup holding a bit more weight, this will be an important result for both sides.
That said, the Warriors could be without Curry tonight as the team added him to the injury report. He’s listed as questionable with a pelvic injury.
The Warriors are one-point favorites and -115 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Nuggets hold -105 odds on the moneyline with the game total set at 237.
With the stage set, here are my favorite Curry prop bets ahead of the Friday night matchup.
Best Steph Curry Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Curry’s props are listed at over/under 26.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 145 made three-pointers and 36.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Stephen Curry Under 4.5 Made Three-Pointers (+100)
While it may feel sacrilegious to bet an under on the NBA’s all-time leading three-point shooter’s three-point prop, he can not hit his prop every night and this is not a matchup that I like his chances.
Curry is shooting 39.8% from beyond the three-point arc this season, and he is leading the NBA in both three-point attempts and three-point makes per game. The future Hall of Famer is averaging 4.5 made three-pointers per game and has recorded over 4.5 made three-pointers in 25 games this season.
This also means he has been held under 4.5 made three-pointers in 39 of the 64 games he has played including six of his past eight. The grind of the season has taken a toll on Curry with him looking in visible pain after a few hard falls over the past few games — last night included. In addition, Curry has been held under 4.5 made three-pointers in both of the previous matchups with the Nuggets this season. Expect some tired legs after a grueling matchup with the Lakers last night, and it is worth noting he shot 4-for-11 from beyond the three-point arc against Los Angeles.
Curry will undoubtedly get his shot opportunities and make an impact from beyond the three-point arc, but the 4.5 line is too steep. Count on him to be held under this number tonight in this Western Conference battle with too many factors working against him.
Stephen Curry Over 5.5 Assists (-140)
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Curry is his scoring ability and perimeter shooting. But the Davidson product deserves more credit for his ability as a playmaker, which he has put on display at a regular rate this season.
The 37-year-old is averaging 6.1 assists per game and has recorded over 5.5 assists in 39 of the 64 games he has played this season. Curry tallied 18 combined assists across the two matchups with the Nuggets already this season with the 11-assist performance marking his third-highest playmaking output of the year.
Denver is rounding into form at the right time but still has some struggles on the defensive side of the ball. It ranks 24th in the NBA in opponents’ points allowed and are 28th in opponents’ assists per game. Curry enters this game having recorded over 5.5 assists in four straight games and five of the past six.
Expect the frequent movement within the Warriors to cause some issues and for Curry to be at the epicenter of the production as usual. Look for him to make his impact felt as a playmaker and log over 5.5 assists for the 40th time this season and the third time this year against the Nuggets.
