The movement of Golden State, the aggressiveness of Andrew Wiggins (14 points), and the skill of Klay Thompson allow the Warriors to get off to the best start while the Nuggets limit the damage thanks to 13 points and 4 assists from Nikola Jokic (36-30).
With the Serbian on the bench, the Warriors drive the point home. Thompson's fifth winning shot (23 points) in nine minutes of play and two opportunistic baskets from Trayce Jackson-Davis increased the gap to +15 (51-36)! It’s Jamal Murray who stops the bleeding for Denver. The Canadian leader scores 16 points in the second quarter and allows his team to finish the half with a 21-5 lead to return to the locker room tied (61-61)!
Curry broken down at 3-point
Clumsy in the first half, Stephen Curry (20 points, 1/10 at 3-points) is still struggling to adjust the sights while five points from Jamal Murray and a Nikola Jokic already in triple-double launch a 14-0 which puts Denver at +9 (74-65)! Curry then gets back in the saddle by attacking the circle and going for free throws. He scored 11 points in this way, before his first 3-point brought the Warriors back into a tie (82-82).
Despite Jonathan Kuminga's surge (19 points), Mike Malone's men quickly recovered. They took the lead before the last quarter, and Aaron Gordon (17 points), all powerful, then Nikola Jokic's reading of the game followed by several errors from Golden State gave them an eleven point lead with 6 minutes to play (105-94). As against the Clippers, this lack of rigor is fatal to the Dubs and the reigning champions do not relinquish their hold on the match to assert themselves with authority.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Klay Thompson, hot off the bench in the first half. After a good start to the match from the Warriors, Klay Thompson made a fantastic start. He benefited from his team's movement and rhythm to find open shots. In sniper mode, Thompson played 14 minutes in a row, scoring 23 points at 5/10 at 3-points, to the delight of the Chase Center. After a complicated first half of the season, Thompson seems to be thriving in his new role.
– Jamal Murray's hot shot that launches the Nuggets defense. With his team down 16 six minutes before halftime, Murray took responsibility. He stabilized the gap with mid-range shots before taking fire from afar. He will finish the quarter with 16 points at 6/7 on shots! His festival also allowed Denver's defense to fall into place. So far struggling against the speed and movement of the Warriors, the Nuggets were able to force their opponent to play in the half court. The Warriors' game became static, and their lead melted like snow in the sun, behind a 21-5 Denver.
– The two minutes that sealed the victory for the Nuggets. At +3 with 8 minutes to play, a loose ball from Aaron Gordon gives the Warriors the opportunity to equalize. Wiggins misses the mark and Golden State will make several errors that Denver will use to take control of the match. Nikola Jokic first anticipates a pass from Draymond Green (6 lost balls) which leads to a dunk from Nnaji. In the process, Stephen Curry misses a free throw awarded to Golden State for an illegal defense by Denver then Green misses a lay-up. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope responds by scoring 3-pointers. A few seconds later, a return to the zone by Brandin Podziemski was punished by another winning shot, this time from Christian Braun. In two minutes, Denver goes to +11, the Warriors will not recover.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
