The Denver Nuggets are on the verge of being swept for the second straight playoff series as the Golden State Warriors hit a late run to beat Denver by five. Golden State finished the game on a 9-2 run, and the Nuggets went six goalless for six straight possessions until Barton hit a tip-in shot at garbage time. This will be Denver’s 6th straight playoff loss and it doesn’t 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 in a 14-22 shooting and 2-3 from behind the arc. Gordon contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t a game for the Warriors’ perimeter marksmanship. They scored 18 threes at 45% shooting from depth. Curry and Poole had three threes and Thompson had a game-high six. The Nuggets gave it their all tonight, but it’s obvious the Warriors are simply the better team. Denver will try to avoid Sunday’s sweep at 1:30 p.m. MT.
1st quarter
- Jokic started the game with an isolation hook shot at Kevon Looney and then Poole continued his hot shooting by knocking down a three. On next possession, Monte found Gordon for a one-handed alley-oop slam, but Thompson responded 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. After 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 up with an and-one knight at 19-16 within four, but Curry countered with his first three of the game. Jokic then found Barton for a three, and then Rivers leveled the game at 22 with a corner three
- Gary Payton II hit five in a row, and Poole added an and-one layup after a Golden State timeout. Jokic finished his 8-0 run with two swimmers, but Curry responded with his own swimmer
- Forbes and Boogie reduced the lead to just two with two free throws each. Curry and Boogie then traded layups to end the quarter
Result: 34-32 warriors
Leaders: Jokic – 12, Poole – 8
2nd quarter
- Poole started the quarter with another three, but Forbes responded with a four-point game. Thompson then drilled his second three, but Boogie countered with a two-handed jam
- Poole knocked down his third treble of the game, but Denver responded with layups from Boogie and JaMychal Green. Rivers ended the game at 45 with his second three, but the Warriors responded again with four straight hits to reclaim their lead
- After both teams turned the ball over, Payton II hit his second corner three, and then Jokic drove to the post for a two. Porter Jr. and Morris traded baskets, but Payton II then hit another three for the 57-49 Warrior lead
- Wiggins scored five straight goals as the Warriors continued their usual run late in the second quarter. Barton stopped the bleeding with a three and Jokic followed with a floater
- Curry and Gordon matched baskets, and then Jokic cut it to 63-59 with a floater. Curry hit his second three and recorded an and-one layup to end the half
Result: 69-59 warriors
Leaders: Jokic – 18, Poole – 16
3rd quarter
- Jokic started the half with a left-handed hookshot and Uncle Jeff scored with a fadeaway. Poole then hit a transition layup, but Morris responded with a corner three to reduce the lead to 71-66
- Barton swung home a corner three along with a free throw from Morris to climb inside one. Thompson calmed the crowd with another three, but Denver responded with two free throws and a layup from Gordon to level the score again
- After a Poole free throw, Jokic hit a sweet baseline fadeaway for two, and then he found Gordon for a dunk as the Nuggets went 78-75. Jokic found Gordon for a dunk again, but Thompson finished the points run with a three
- Two free throws from Golden State tied the score at 80 until Thompson converted a transition layup from a Denver turnover. Jokic and Curry traded hoops, and then Denver retook the lead with a three-pointer from Bones and a baseline jumper from Gordon
- Bones then executed a finger roll, but Poole finished the goal with two free throws in the quarter
Result: 89-87 nuggets
Leaders: Jokic – 26, Poole – 21
4th quarter
- Golden State started the quarter with a layup from Poole and one, but JaMychal retook the lead with two free throws. Thompson then drilled his 5th three, but JaMychal responded with two more free throws
- Bjelica knocked down two free ones along with a Porter Jr. layup for a 97-93 advantage. After forcing a turnover, Gordon scooped in a corner three, but Thompson hit another three
- Jokic drilled a three from the top of the button but Iguodala responded with a one dunk. Jokic then fired one for two, and then Iguodala sunk one of two free throws as both teams took the penalty with 6:00 to go
- Jokic knocked down two free throws, but Curry extended Warrior’s lead to five with a three. Jokic made two more free throws and Uncle Jeff equalized with two free throws on 107
- The save to the line continued with two free throws apiece from Curry and Gordon. Jokic put Denver ahead 111-109 with a driving finger roll, but Wiggins retook the lead with a turn three
- Poole distorted for a difficult layup and Curry added another layup that extended their lead to five. After Draymond stole Jokic’s bag 30 seconds from time, the foul ensued
- Barton hit a layup, but Curry hit one of two free throws to go up by five with 21 seconds left. Barton would miss a three from a time out in Denver that sealed the deal
Score: 118-113 warriors
Statistical Guide
Points: Jokic – 37
Setbacks: 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 of three