The Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) drives past Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the first half at the Ball Center on Christmas Day Mon Dec 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

Monday, Dec. 25, 2023

Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

Golden State Warriors 114 (15-15)

Denver Nuggets 120 (22-10)

By Stephen Ruderman

The Denver Nuggets snapped the Warriors’ five-game winning streak, as they beat Golden State in a Christmas nailbiter, 120-114 at the Ball Center in Denver.

The Warriors carried their five-game winning streak to Denver to take on the second-seed and defending-champion Nuggets.

The Nuggets got off to an early 6-0 lead thanks to a dunk by Aaron Gordan, and a pair of jumpers by Jamal Murray. The Warriors then got on the board on a three-ball by Klay Thompson, and they made it 6-5 after Brandin Podziemski hit a pair of free throws.

It was 8-7 Nuggets, and then Denver started to pull away. Michael Porter Jr. hit a pair of threes, and that started a 16-7 run for the Nuggets, who led it 24-14 with 3:32 left in the first quarter. 

The Warriors then got back into it with a 12-5 run to close the deficit to 29-26 at the end of the quarter.

Dario Saric hooked one in to start the second quarter, but Porter hit a three and a jumper to extend Denver’s lead back to six at 34-28. Podziemski and Chris Paul then hit threes to tie it up. 

Peyton Watson hit a three ball to put the Nuggets back ahead, but the Warriors then scored nine unanswered points to take their first lead of the game, as they led it 43-37. The Nuggets got right back in it, and the two teams traded points throughout the remainder of the quarter, which ended with the Warriors up 54-53 going into the half.

The game remained a seesaw battle over the first half of the third quarter. The Nuggets started to pull away in the latter half, as they opened up an 85-77 lead with 3:31 remaining. 

However, the Warriors got right back in it towards the end of the quarter. Podziemski alley-ooped to Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Chris Paul hit a three to close it to 85-82. Christian Braun hit a three for Denver to make it 88-82; but Podziemski hit a three, and Saric hit a pair of free throws to make it 88-87.

The two teams traded more points, and the Nuggets went into the fourth up 92-89. The Warriors started the fourth with six unanswered points, as Andrew Wiggins and Saric each laid one in, and Wiggins was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to put Golden State back ahead at 95-92.

The teams traded leads throughout the fourth quarter, as Wiggins hit a hook shot to give the Warriors a 103-102 lead with 5:38 remaining. The Nuggets retook a 106-103 lead, and then Steph Curry hit a reverse layup to make it 106-105.

The Nuggets then started to pull away for good, as they went on an 8-2 run to open their lead back up to 114-107. Denver was then able to maintain a steady lead the rest of the way, and they held on to win, 120-114.

For the Warriors, this snaps their five-game winning streak, as they fall back to .500 at 15-15. They will return home to play the Miami Heat on Thursday night at Chase Center for a 7:00 tipoff.