The Brooklyn Nets host the Golden State Warriors at Barclays Center on December 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This matchup looks like a classic “styles and timelines” clash. The Nets enter at 10-19 and sitting near the bottom of the East, while the Warriors are 16-16 and hovering around the play-in mix out West And no, they haven’t played each other yet this season. This is the first meeting.
Star power is still real, though. Stephen Curry has been ridiculous at 28.9 points per game on 46.3% from the field and 38.9% from three. On the other side, Michael Porter Jr. has been the Nets’ engine at 25.8 points per game, plus 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while shooting 49.4% from the field and 40.4% from three.
If you want a quick vibe check, the Nets just handled the Timberwolves 123-107, while the Warriors are coming off a brutal overtime collapse against the Raptors.
Injury Report
Nets
Haywood Highsmith: Out (right knee surgery recovery)
Ziaire Williams: Probable (right ankle sprain)
Warriors
Seth Curry: Out (left sciatic nerve irritation)
Al Horford: Out (left toe injury management)
Jimmy Butler III: Probable (lower back soreness)
Why The Nets Have The Advantage
The Nets’ biggest edge is simple: they can make this game ugly in a way that still works for them, because they actually have multiple secondary guys producing real numbers next to their top scorers.
Start with Nic Claxton. He’s at 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 57.9% from the field. That matters against a Warriors frontcourt that’s going to spend possessions scrambling to cover Curry’s gravity on one end, then trying to find enough stability to rebound and protect the rim on the other. If Claxton controls the paint and keeps the Nets from getting punked on the glass, the entire game slows down into a grind. That’s where the Nets can steal minutes.
Then there’s Noah Clowney quietly turning into a real weapon. He’s averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this season. That’s not just “nice bench production.” That’s “if you ignore me, I’m swinging the scoreboard” production. If the Warriors sell out to chase Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas off the line, Clowney becomes the guy punishing the closeouts and keeping the offense afloat.
And don’t sleep on the guard/connector play either. Egor Demin is at 9.4 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game. Terance Mann adds 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Those aren’t headline numbers, but they’re the exact type of “keep the machine running” guys who can keep the Nets organized when the game gets choppy.
If the Nets defend with discipline, keep Claxton involved as a pressure point, and get one pop game from Clowney or Demin, they’re absolutely live at home.
Why The Warriors Have The Advantage
The Warriors’ advantage is still the same cheat code it’s been for a decade: Curry bends the entire game. And this year, he’s doing it at almost 29 a night. The Nets can talk themselves into different coverages, but none of them are fun. Trap him and you’re giving up 4-on-3s. Play him straight up and you’re praying he misses. Mix it and you risk confusion, which Curry eats for breakfast.
Then you add Jimmy Butler as a second punch, and it gets nastier. He’s putting up 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, and he’s shooting 51.5% from the field. If he’s active and healthy enough to attack, the Warriors suddenly have a guy who can live at the line, collapse the defense, and force the Nets into rotations they don’t want to make.
The real swing, though, comes from the glue guys. Draymond Green is at 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. That doesn’t scream “takeover,” but it screams “this game is going to feel miserable for you if you’re sloppy.” He’s still the guy calling out actions early and turning possessions into chaos.
Brandin Podziemski has also been a steady contributor at 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. And Jonathan Kuminga gives them needed juice as a slasher/athlete, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. If Kuminga runs in transition and attacks closeouts instead of settling, that’s where the Warriors can flip the game from “half-court chess” into “track meet,” which is usually where the Nets start leaking points.
Bottom line: if Curry’s shot is cooking and Butler plays, the Warriors have the higher ceiling on the floor. It’s that simple.
Nets vs. Warriors Prediction
I’m leaning Warriors, mostly because Curry warps matchups in a way the Nets can’t fully scheme away, and Butler gives them a second route to points when the threes dry up.
Prediction: Warriors 116, Nets 111
