N.B.A
- Jokić scores from 40 feet at the buzzer as the Nuggets stun the Warriors 130-127
- Defending champion Nuggets have won 11 of 13 and six in a row
With three seconds left in a tied game, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone used Nikola Jokić as a safety valve for an inbound pass at the other end. Jamal Murray, the first option, was unavailable on the sidelines. None of them were second-choice Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Instead, Aaron Gordon got the ball to Jokić, who completed three dribbles across half the court, stopped and fired a 40-footer from the right sideline over Kevon Looney, who tapped in as time expired. That gave the Nuggets an impressive 130-127 victory on Thursday night after trailing by 18 points in the fourth quarter. They finished with a 25-4 run.
Jokić had 34 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. With 26 seconds left, he reached the score of 127 with a short jump. Golden State's final possession ended with Stephen Curry losing the ball, setting the stage for Jokić's game-winning goal.
Malone said he told Jokić during the timeout to “take two dribbles across half the court and shoot.”
“And he executed the play perfectly,” Malone said. “But great players make great plays. And Nikola to catch the ball and make a difference behind it is just incredible.”
Jokić said he was just trying to “get a little closer and just throw it in the basket.”
“I think these shots are the easiest,” Jokić said. “You have no other choice.”
The defending champion Nuggets have won 11 of 13 and six on the road. They sent the Warriors — who failed to get back to .500 after a three-game skid Tuesday night — to a 1-3 start on their seven-game homestand.
Golden State has blown several double-digit leads this season.
“These games always come down to the wire, that’s how it feels for us this year,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We probably lost four or five that we should have won.”
Aaron Gordon scored 30 points for Denver and Jamal Murray had 25. Curry led Golden State with 30 points. Klay Thompson added 24.
“Some are a little easier to swallow than others,” Curry said. “This one is definitely tough.”
Nuggets forward Peyton Watson said Jokić's confidence helps the team.
“He’s so confident and never gets too high or too low,” Watson said. “He is a balanced guy. So for him to come out big in those big moments and show that he’s calm and balanced, he puts everyone else at ease.”
Golden State pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Denver 44-24 after trailing by double digits early in the half. Midway through the quarter, the Warriors had a 19-6 record, with Brandin Podziemski hitting three corner kicks for three-pointers, for a 107-94 lead early in the fourth quarter.
“I think we just didn’t want to give up,” said Jokić. “We could easily have excuses just to lose the game or we have a back-to-back game tomorrow… But the boys didn't drop their hat. We were really aggressive.”
Nikola Jokić celebrates with his Denver Nuggets teammates after Thursday night's dramatic win. Photo: John G Mabanglo/EPA
The Nuggets took a 70-63 halftime lead and shot 62% from the field.
Malone said he was most proud of his team's great response to the Warriors on the road.
“When you look at this team, it’s easy to lose your head in this building with this crowd,” Malone said. “And that's probably what I was most pleased about tonight: Everyone – coaches, players – we just stayed the course, even after the third quarter where they dominated.”
For the 11th straight game, the Warriors were without Draymond Green, who was suspended indefinitely three weeks ago. ESPN reported Thursday that Green was expected to return to the team facility in the coming days in anticipation of a return, although coach Steve Kerr did not confirm the report before the game.
Golden State will be without Gary Payton II for another extended period of time due to a hamstring strain. The Warriors said Patyon will be reevaluated in three weeks.
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