The Denver Nuggets are on the verge of getting swept for the second consecutive playoff series as the Golden State Warriors made a late run to beat Denver by five. Golden State went on a 9-2 run to end the game, and the Nuggets went six scoreless for six straight possessions until a garbage time Barton tip-in shot. This will be Denver’s 6th consecutive playoff loss, and it does not look good for a comeback as teams are 0-143 all-time when trailing 0-3 in a playoff series.
Jokic played well with 37 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals on 14-22 shooting and 2-3 from behind the arc. Gordon chipped in with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but it was no match for the perimeter marksmanship of the Warriors. They nailed 18 threes on 45% shooting from deep. Curry and Poole had three threes, and Thompson had a game-high six. The Nuggets gave all they had tonight, but it is evident the Warriors are just the better team. Denver will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday at 1:30 PM MT.
1st Quarter
- Jokic began the game with an isolation hook shot on Kevon Looney, and then Poole continued his hot shooting by knocking down a three. On the next possession, Monte found Gordon for a one-handed alley-oop slam, but Thompson would answer with a post fadeaway
- Poole gave the Warriors a 7-4 lead with a driving layup, and Draymond Green followed with a three. Morris cut the lead to two with a floater and a long two-point shot
- Thompson drilled a corner three and another post fadeaway for the 15-8 Warrior advantage. Following a Denver timeout, Jokic sank a three and Barton hit a mid-range jumper, but Golden State responded with layups from Wiggins and Draymond
- Jokic helped the Nuggets climb within four at 19-16 with an and-one jumper, but Curry countered with his first three of the game. Jokic then found Barton for three, and then Rivers tied the game at 22 with a corner three
- Gary Payton II scored five in a row, and Poole added an and-one layup after a Golden State timeout. Jokic ended their 8-0 run with two floaters, but Curry answered with his own floater
- Forbes and Boogie decreased the lead to just two with two free throws apiece. Curry and Boogie then exchanged layups to end the quarter
Score: 34-32 Warriors
Scoring leaders: Jokic - 12, Poole - 8
2nd Quarter
- Poole kicked off the quarter with another three, but Forbes replied with a four-point play. Thompson then drilled his second three, but Boogie countered with a two-hand jam
- Poole knocked down his third triple of the game, but Denver answered with layups from Boogie and JaMychal Green. Rivers knotted the game at 45 with his second three, yet the Warriors responded again with four in a row to reclaim their lead
- After both teams turned the ball over, Payton II hit his second corner three, and then Jokic drove to the rack for two. Porter Jr. and Morris traded baskets, but Payton II then hit another three for the 57-49 Warrior lead
- Wiggins scored five in a row as the Warriors went on their usual end of the second quarter run. Barton stopped the bleeding with a three and Jokic followed with a floater
- Curry and Gordon matched baskets, and then Jokic cut the lead to 63-59 with a floater. Curry nailed his second three and recorded an and-one layup to end the half
Score: 69-59 Warriors
Scoring leaders: Jokic - 18, Poole - 16
3rd Quarter
- Jokic initiated the half with a left-handed hook shot, and Uncle Jeff scored on a post fadeaway. Poole then hit a transition layup, but Morris answered with a corner three to diminish the lead to 71-66
- Barton swished home a corner three along with one Morris free throw to climb within one. Thompson quieted the crowd with another triple, but Denver responded with two free throws and a Gordon layup to tie the score once again
- After one Poole free throw, Jokic hit a sweet baseline fadeaway for two, and then he found Gordon for a dunk as the Nuggets took a 78-75 lead. Jokic found Gordon again for a dunk, but Thompson ended the scoring run with a three
- Two Golden State free throws knotted the score at 80 until Thompson converted a transition layup off a Denver turnover. Jokic and Curry traded baskets, and then Denver reclaimed the lead with a Bones three and a Gordon baseline jumper
- Bones then executed a finger roll, but Poole ended the scoring in the quarter with two free throws
Score: 89-87 Nuggets
Scoring leaders: Jokic - 26, Poole - 21
4th Quarter
- Golden State began the quarter with a Poole and-one layup, but JaMychal recovered the lead with two free throws. Thompson then drilled his 5th triple, but JaMychal responded with two more free throws
- Bjelica knocked down two free ones coupled with a Porter Jr. layup to obtain a 97-93 advantage. After forcing a turnover, Gordon canned a corner three, but Thompson would hit another three
- Jokic drilled a three from the top of the key, but Iguodala responded with an and-one dunk. Jokic then floated one up for two, and then Iguodala sank one of two free throws as both teams entered the penalty with 6:00 to go
- Jokic knocked down two free throws, but Curry extended the Warrior lead to five with a three. Jokic made two more free throws and Uncle Jeff tied it up at 107 with two free ones
- The parade to the line continued with two free throws apiece from Curry and Gordon. Jokic gave Denver the lead 111-109 with a driving finger roll, but Wiggins reclaimed the lead with a corner three
- Poole contorted for a difficult layup and Curry added another layup, which stretched their lead to five. After Draymond picked Jokic’s pocket with 30 seconds left, the foul game ensued
- Barton hit a layup, but Curry hit one of two free throws to go up by five with 21 second left. Barton would miss a three out of a Denver timeout which sealed the deal
Score: 118-113 Warriors
Stat leaders
Points: Jokic - 37
Rebounds: Jokic - 18
Assists: Green - 10
Silent hero of the game: Klay Thompson - 27 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists on 10-18 shooting and 6-13 from three