The Golden State Warriors play their second game of the 2025-26 NBA season tonight in their home opener. And after rolling past a LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers squad on Tuesday, the challenge figures to be harder tonight, as they face Nikola Jokić and the full strength Denver Nuggets.
There’s only so important that the second game of the season can be, yet this feels like a notable contest. The Warriors and Nuggets are in close contention with each other in the Western Conference hierarchy, and thus might jockey in the standings throughout the year. Getting a leg up in the win column — and in the tiebreakers — is crucial, even early in the year.
Most importantly, though, it figures to be a fun game and a great way for the Warriors to test themselves early in the season. Unfortunately, the Dubs will be at a little bit of a disadvantage from a health standpoint. Here’s the full injury report.
Out — Moses Moody (left soleus strain)
Moody shouldn’t be out much longer, but he’ll miss this contest. Steve Kerr said on Wednesday that the team is hopeful that Moody will be able to play on Friday when the Dubs face the Portland Trail Blazers. So maybe we’ll see him tomorrow.
Out — De’Anthony Melton (left ACL surgery)
Melton is a little bit further away, as he continues to rehab the ACL that he tore early last season. He’s still on the expected timeline, so nothing to worry about, but he’s probably still a few weeks away, at a minimum.
Out — Alex Toohey (left knee patellofemoral pain)
Toohey’s NBA debut will have to wait, as he’ll be inactive for the second straight game to start his career. Given that he’s on a two-way contract, it’s no guarantee that he’d be active even if he were healthy.
Nobody! Denver, making their season debut tonight, survived training camp and the preseason without any injuries. They’ll be at full strength tonight, barring any last-minute setbacks.
Enjoy the game, Dub Nation! You can catch the action at 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN.
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