Tag: Denver Nuggets

NBA Playoff podcast with David Zizmor: Lakers-Nuggets tip off for best of 7 tonight in Denver

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) shoots over Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series Friday, May 12, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP News photo)

On t he NBA Playoff podcast with David:

#1 Dave to start off taking a look at the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets who open their best of seven series tonight in Denver. We’ll take your analysis on the Lakers first who come in with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and D’Angelo Russell.

#2 The Denver Nuggets are loaded their coming off a 4-2 series win against the Phoenix Suns and have some of the top shooters in the NBA with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pape.

#3 David, talk has it that one of the factors for the Golden State Warriors failing to advance past the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers was because of Draymond Green’s punch on teammate Jordan Poole back in October. The Warriors couldn’t win on the road winning only 11 games away from Chase Center and Poole couldn’t find himself in the second round of the playoffs. How thrown off were the Warriors in the post season?

#4 David, long time Warriors general manager Bob Myers may not be back with the team next season and is still trying to decide whether to come back or not. Myers has been with Golden State for 11 years. The idea of not having Myers around will have an impact on the team.

Join David Zizmor for the Warriors podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Beat Lakers 121-106 to Stave off Elimination, Force Game 6

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @warriors

By: Mary Anne

Wednesday night was do-or-die for the Golden State Warriors, who hosted the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors beat the Lakers 121-106 at the Chase Center.

There was star power in the building, as NBA on TNT analyst and former NBA player Baron Davis rang Wednesday’s bell ahead of Game 5. That said, Golden State was good to go.

The Warriors’ starting five featured Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and Draymond Green. Curry scored from downtown to get the Warriors going early in the first quarter. Curry and Green weren’t the Splash Brothers, per se, but the two were the first-quarter kings. The Warriors led 32-28 after the first quarter.

The Warriors continued to pour in the points in the second quarter. Jordan Poole took in the basket to score a layup, Andrew Wiggins provided an offensive spark, and Gary Payton II was so good in scoring in the paint. The Warriors led 70-59 at the half.

The second half saw a superb statistic. Stephen Curry passed Mark Jackson for 22nd most assists in NBA playoff history. Jackson is a former NBA player who played point guard for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets. Jackson also served as the Warriors head coach from 2011 to 2014.

Andrew Wiggins continued to deliver his offensive energy, and the Warriors led 93-82 after three quarters.

The Warriors came in hot in the fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins was a key offensive player from start to finish, while Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all contributed offensively.

The Warriors survived a win-or-go-home Game 5 for a 121-106 victory.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 27 points, three rebounds, eight assists, and one block.

Andrew Wiggins recorded 25 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Draymond Green scored 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.

Gary Payton II had 13 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Jordan Poole had 11 points, one rebound, and four assists. Klay Thompson had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks. Moses Moody had six points and four rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga had five points, one rebound, and one assist. Kevon Looney had four points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

Donte DiVincenzo added two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

The Warriors head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers in Game 6 on Friday at 7:00 pm Pacific.

Warriors Unable to Finish Against Western Conference Leader Denver 112-110 

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Denver Nuggets Jeff Green (32) and the Golden State Warriors Jonathan Kuminga (00) jump for the basketball at Ball Arena in Denver on Sun Apr 2, 2023 (@warriors photo)

     By Barbara Mason

Sunday evening the Golden State Warriors (41-38) took on the Denver Nuggets (52-26) at Ball Arena. The Nuggets sit on top of the Western Conference and the Warriors could not bring their A-game against the Nuggets in a road game in Denver losing 112-110.

The Warriors have struggled mightily on the road this season and couldn’t find a way to handle this game. Nikola Jokic did not play in this game out with a calf issue missing a third game.

The Warriors handled the first quarter very well leading after the first twelve minutes 36-26. Golden State had a solid start, they were attacking the basket and put out some very good defense. The Warriors have won their last two road games and were looking to make it three. If the first 12 minutes were any indication, the Warriors play in this game was very promising.

The Warriors continued on the same path in the second quarter and two minutes into the quarter led 44-31. The Warriors led by as much as fifteen points in the quarter but at 2:44 the Nuggets had trimmed the Golden State lead to five 56-51. Denver had been cold from beyond the arc but started to heat up as the first half came to an end. The Warriors had the lead at the half 61-58 but the Nuggets owned the later part of the second quarter.

Golden State started adding to their lead in the third quarter 71-63 only to see it dissolve at 7:21. Denver tied up the game 71-71. For the first time since the start of the game the Nuggets took the lead 73-71. Both teams were having a miserable night shooting three’s. Denver was seven of 27 and the Warriors were 7 of 30. After the first three quarters the Nuggets ha a 89-87 lead. This game was still up for grabs.

The best two-point shooting team in the league started to show their muscle in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets took a 105-96 lead with 5:40 left in the game. Denver was in control outplaying the Warriors in the second half and leading 109-98 with under four minutes left in the game. This was the Nuggets largest lead of the game and they showed no signs of slowing down. The Nuggets got a two point win.

The bottom line is that the Warriors just didn’t shoot well enough to win this game. Stephen Curry finished with 21 points but was two of 13 from downtown. Off the bench Jordan Poole had 17 points. The Warriors were able to hang in this game for three quarters but fell short in the fourth quarter unable to finish. The promise that the Warriors showed in the first half vanished in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line.

The Warriors did make a valiant effort in the final two minutes of this game. The Nuggets had an 11 point lead 112-101 but Golden State pulled to within two points. Klay Thompson had a great look with 4.1 left on the clock to win the game. He missed and the Warriors came up a bucket short. It was a wild finish and Golden State fought hard to the very end.

Tuesday night the Warriors will be back home at Chase taking on the OKC Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled 7:00 PM.

        

Warriors beat back challenge from lowly Spurs 130-115

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots against San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham, right, during the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Mar 31, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors welcomed the San Antonio Spurs to the Chase Center Friday night. The Spurs, coached by Greg Popovich, came to town with a record of 19-57. The Spurs are in rebuild mode, but several players are NBA caliber.

The Spurs’ mission Friday night was to upset the Warriors’ applecart. The young Spurs played with passion. San Antonio’s defense kept making stops on the Warriors. In the first period, the Spurs forced the Warriors into five turnovers in the game’s first five minutes.

The Warriors offense was cold. The Spurs led by nine, 19-10. The Warriors defense allowed the team to tie the game 23-23. The Spurs finished the quarter leading 26-23. The Spurs kept the Warriors at bay for most of the second period. Things changed when Jordan Poole entered the game midway through the period.

The Spurs were leading 44-40 when Poole hit a three. Poole made 12 of the W’s last 14 points in the period to give the Warriors a three-point lead 54-51 at the end of the first half. Poole led the Warriors with 15. Stephen Curry had 14. Poole and Curry each connected on three threes. Klay Thompson was cold. He finished the half with four points. Malakio Branham led the Spurs with 14.

The Warriors played better in the third period. Unfortunately for them, the Spurs outscored the Warriors 37-33. Klay Thompson made four threes to pace the Warrior offense. The Warriors led by eight at one point, but San Antonio found its offense, and they finished the third quarter leading, 88-87.

The Spurs felt they had a chance to get a victory. They had played well for three quarters. The fans were getting nervous. Could San Antonio do it? The Warriors answered the question. The Spurs could not get the win. They fought hard, but the Warriors big guns came to life in the fourth quarter as they overwhelmed the Spurs 43-27 to win the game 130-115.

Game Notes- with the win, the Warriors are 41-37. The Warriors are 32-8 at the Chase Center. Golden State has four games left in the regular season. Three are on the road. The Spurs dropped to 19-58.

The Warriors outscored the Spurs 76-64 in the second half. One of the key players in the fourth quarter was Gary Payton II. Gary played 17 minutes and had seven points, eight rebounds, and one assist. Payton made several defensive plays. He stole the ball twice and was a force on the floor.

Curry led the Warriors with 33 points. Curry made seven threes. Thompson scored 27 points in the second half to finish with 31. Thompson also made seven threes, all in the second half. Poole had 27 points, two boards, and six assists, and he made six threes.

Jonathan Kuminga played well on both ends of the court. Kuminga finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. As a team, the Warriors made 21 threes in 49 tries. The Warriors weakness was turnovers.

They turned the ball over 14 times, leading to 23 points for the Spurs. The Spurs had six players in double figures. Keldon Johnson had 22. Malaki Branham 19. Gorgui Dieng, averaging 3 points a game, knocked four threes and finished with 14.

The Warriors meet the Denver Nuggets Sunday night in the Mile-High City. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Warriors Start Hot But Finish Cold Losing to Denver 134-117

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, loses control of the ball as Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, left, and guard Jordan Poole defend in the first half at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Thu Feb 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

Warriors Start Hot But Finish Cold Losing to Denver 134-117

By Barbara Mason

After a tough loss last night in Minnesota, the Golden State Warriors (26-26) were back on the court against the top dog in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets (36-16). The Warriors were challenged by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

The Nuggets are the number one team in the league from downtown so threats on every side including on the defensive side of the ball. The Warriors made it close in the first half but the Nuggets came out in the second half with some great defense and as expected some great offense from Jokic and Murray in a 134-117 win for the Nuggets.

The Warriors would be without Draymond Green who was a late scratch with right calf tightness. Jonathan Kuminga started in place of Green. Klay Thompson was also out due to injury management.

The Warriors starting lineup was Kuminga, Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole. Golden State also leaned heavily on their bench.

Game recap: The Warriors edged the Nuggets in the first quarter 35-34. The Nuggets came back to win the second quarter by 36-34 in this tight game. Denver led at the half 70-69.

The Warriors had a great first half. Early in the second quarter they already had 11 shots from downtown. They finished the half with 13 shots from beyond the arc shooting at almost 62%. Six of those three’s came off the bench.

Donte Divincenzo was four of four from downtown. Golden State was playing as well as one could in hostile territory shooting at 55.6 from the field. They had also protected the ball in this game with only five turnovers.

In the third quarter the Nuggets began to distance themselves from the Warriors. They led after three quarters 105-91. The nine turnovers from Golden State in the third quarter was a huge reason in the turnaround. The Nuggets had a 16-0 run and Golden State had a huge task in front of them.

In the fourth quarter the Warriors were getting stops but did not capitalize on them. The Nuggets extended their lead and won this game. The Nuggets took advantage of a stagnant Warrior offense in the final quarters of this game.

The Warriors bench had 38 points collectively. The high score for Golden State was Curry with 28 points. Poole had 22 points and Kuminga playing in place of the injured Green had a great game with seven rebounds and 17 points.

The Warriors head home to Chase to take on another great offensive team, the Dallas Mavericks Saturday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 PM.

Kings take second game on back to back nights 127-126 over Nuggets

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland (3) guards Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Dec 28, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night in Sacramento. It was the second night of a back-to-back in which they played the Denver Nuggets both times. It is rare to have a team in your building for back-to-back games, but that is what happened this year with the Nuggets.

The Kings left a lot to be wished for in the first game. The Kings had a solid first quarter, but it was all downhill after that point. The Kings ended up losing the game 113-106. On Wednesday, the Kings looked to get revenge at 7 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings edged out a close one on Wednesday night 127-126.

In the first quarter, things went right for the Kings. The Nuggets offense came out in full force as the Kings defense had no answer. The Nuggets dropped 40 points in the first quarter to start the game right where they left off on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Kings were only able to score 24 points to dig themselves an early lead. Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola were hurting the Kings early in the game.

In the second quarter, it was a tough road for the Kings. They started the quarter down 16 points and ended the quarter down 13 points. Injured Domantas Sabonis was playing well, all things considered. The Kings just couldn’t seem to contain the Nuggets offensive outburst.

The Kings kept it close in the second quarter and gave themselves a shot at a comeback in the second half. For the Kings to come back, they would need to get a big performance from Fox in the second half and contain the Nuggets on offense. Could the Kings pull it off on the second night of a back-to-back?

The Kings needed a quick start in the third quarter to tighten the gap with the Nuggets. They got just that. The Kings needed and got solid minutes to cut down the Nuggets deficit to only seven points. Would that hold? No.

The Kings would falter a bit more in the ending minutes of the third and would only outscore the Nuggets 32-30 in the third. The Kings had cut the deficit to 11 points through three quarters, but they would need a miracle fourth quarter to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings would have just that, a miracle fourth quarter. The Kings came all the way back from double digit deficits all game long to outscore the Nuggets 33-21 in the final 12 minutes. It was an incredible comeback to defy the odds against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Kings managed to defeat the Nuggets 127-126 in a thriller. The Nuggets got an MVP level performance from Nikola Jokic who scored 40 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Domas had 31 points behind leader Malik Monk who had 33 points.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Utah Jazz on Friday at 7 PM PST.

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Eckersley’s grandson found in woods after being abandon by daughter; JJ Watt retires from football; plus more news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Alexandra Eckersley the daughter of former MLB pitcher and broadcaster Dennis Eckersley was booked by Manchester NH Police for endangering the welfare of a child on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (mug shot photo Manchester NH Police)

On Headlines podcast with Jessica:

#1 Former Boston Red Sox TV analyst and baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley’s grandson was found by authorities in the woods after Eckersley’s daughter Alexandra gave birth in the woods and gave authorities a false location after looking for an hour in 18 degree weather Alexandra finally gave the real location and Eckersley’s grandson was found alive with hypothermia but alive his condition is reported to be improving. Alexandra who is reported to have mental issues is being charged for endangering the welfare of a child she will be arraigned Tuesday in Hillsboro Superior Court North in New Hampshire.

#2 The Arizona Cardinals JJ Watt has announced his retirement from football. Watt who played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans and the Cardinals. Watt leaves football as one of the most prolific defensive players in the game. Watt is one of just three players to be named Defensive Player of the Year three times in his career.

#3 The Denver Broncos top brass say that quarterback Russell Wilson is fixable despite his rough 2022 season. Wilson according to team owner Greg Penner and general manager George Paton said that they believe in Wilson’s future with the team. The Broncos who dropped to 4-11 and were bulldozed by Los Angeles Rams on Christmas day 51-14 are looking forward to working with Wilson again in 2023. The Broncos signed Wilson to a five year $245 million contract and pretty much are on the hook for it.

#4 The Buffalo Sabers were supposed to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday but the game was postponed due to 50 inches of snow in Buffalo and the Buffalo airport is closed until Wednesday. The Sabers and Blue Jackets will reschedule the game for a later date.

#5 On Tuesday night the Sacramento Kings (17-14) who played at home against the Denver Nuggets (21-11) did so without the services of their head coach Mike Brown who was out for Covid 19 protocols and Domantas Sabonis who was out for right thumb fracture.

#6 The Brooklyn Nets continue to surge picking up their ninth straight win 125-117 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. The Nets had top scoring from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant who scored 32 points each.

Join Jessica for Headline Sports every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Nuggets come from behind to defeat Kings 113-106; First of back to back games

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) scores a basket while defended by Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night. The Kings hadn’t played since Friday, when they took on the Washington Wizards in Sacramento. The Kings did not play well in their last game and looked to bounce back against one of the premier teams in the NBA. The Kings welcomed the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

The Nuggets were set to take on the Kings at 7 PM PST. However, the Kings were without star center Domantas Sabonis. Domas would miss the game on Tuesday and be listed as questionable moving forward with his hand issues. The injury is a big deal for the upstart Kings, as Domas has been playing at an All-Star level this year.

The Nuggets would be in town for two games with the back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Kings would lose the first game of the back-to-back 113-106 to Denver.

In the first quarter, it was all Kings. The Kings, even without star center Domas Sabonis, managed to score 32 points. On the other hand, the Nuggets couldn’t buy a basket.

The Kings solid good defense, coupled with the Nuggets poor shooting, amounted to an uninspiring 20 points for the Nuggets in the first. Harrison Barens led the way for the Kings with eight points as Michael Porter Jr. matched him for the Nuggets. The Kings would look to keep the pressure on in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings could have played better. The offense wasn’t flowing the same as in the first quarter. The defense also wasn’t as tight as in the first quarter. One thing the Kings did well in the first half was they contained Nikola Jokic. He ended the half with only two points.

On the other hand, MPJ picked up the slack on the offense. He torched the Kings in the first half with 19 points. Harrison Barnes led the Kings in the first half with 13 points. The Kings would have the first-half lead 56-47. The Nuggets outscored the Kings 27-24 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, both teams were jarring for position. Neither team really got on a big run. In the end, the Nuggets would outscore the Kings 32-27 in the third quarter to continue to shrink the Kings lead.

The game was headed into the final quarter with the Kings leading 83-79. The Kings had been losing their lead slowly in the game and would need to stop the bleeding in the fourth to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets continued to pressure the Kings. The Nuggets completed the comeback early in the fourth and from there it was a question of who could play better the rest of the game. Unfortunately for the Kings, the bleeding never stopped and they would lose the game 113-106.

The Nuggets pressure amounted to outscoring the Kings again in the fourth quarter 34-23. Sacramento battled but could never regain the momentum and control they had in the first quarter. The Nuggets were led in victory by MPJ who scored 30 points. Nikola Jokic was a rebound short of a triple double and scored 20 points. De’Aaron Fox had 26 points to lead the Kings in defeat.

Up Next: The Kings will remain home for the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at 7 PM PST.

King drop second game on homestand to Wizards 125-111 Friday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert, second from left, drives to the basket past Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Dec 23, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings (17-14) were back in action on Friday night. The Kings last played on Wednesday night as they took on LeBron James and the LA Lakers at home. The Kings handled the Lakers with ease and looked to continue the trend on Friday. The Kings were set to take on the visiting Washington Wizards (13-21) at 7PM on Friday night. The Kings dropped the contest by the final of 125-111.

In the first quarter, the Kings started slow. The Kings offense got off to a sluggish start in the first quarter. They did manage to score 27 points in the first quarter. However, the Wizards scored 28 points with Bradley Beal leading the way with nine. Domas Sabonis led the way for the Kings with eight points.

In the second quarter, it was even worse for the Kings. The Kings offense couldn’t catch a break and the Wizards were running in the open court on offense. The Kings appeared lifeless on this Friday night and the Golden One Center crowd was audibly unhappy.

The Kings were outscored by a massive 40-23 in the second quarter to fall into a 18 point deficit headed into halftime. The Wizards could do no wrong on the offensive end shooting near 60% in the first half. The Kings would need a massive rally in the second half to come back 68-50.

In the third quarter, it was a much more even game. However, that is not what the Kings needed. In desperate need for a big quarter the Kings only managed to hang tight against the Wizards. The Kings scored 33 points in the third compared to the Wizards 34. The massive second quarter for the Wizards was holding strong for them up through the third. The Kings would head into the final quarter down 102-83. Would the Kings pull off a stunning comeback in the fourth?

In the fourth quarter, the Kings weren’t able to rally back. The Wizards continued to put the pressure on the Kings in the fourth quarter so squander any chance the Kings had at a comeback. The Kings managed to out score the Wizards 28-23 in the fourth but it was too little too late.

The Wizards had built such an insurmountable lead in the second quarter that they rolled to the victory 125-111. It was a disappointing loss for the Kings in front of a great Golden 1 Center crowd. Kyle Kuzma led all scorers with 32 points in the game to lead the Wizards to victory.

On the other hand, Domantas Sabonis had a triple double for the Kings and De’Aaron Fox finished with 26 points. It was a disappointing loss for the Kings, akin to the recent loss to Charlotte. However, the Kings will look to turn the page after Christmas.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at 7 PM PST.

Warriors second-half rally falls short lose to Nuggets 128-123

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, right, passes the ball while defended by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in first half action at Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Oct 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors hosted the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center Friday night. The Warriors opened the season with a win of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Denver lost its opener against the Utah Jazz Wednesday night. The Warriors just couldn’t hold on Friday night and were defeated by the Nuggets 128-123.

The Nuggets’ coach, Mike Malone, wanted his team to get on track by beating the Warriors. With two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic pacing the attack, the Nuggets had the firepower to upset the Warriors apple cart. The Warriors have one of the top defenses in the NBA.

Would they be able to stop the Nuggets’ firepower? The Nuggets answered the question in the first half of the game. After a high-scoring and hotly-contested first period, the Nuggets poured in 40 points in the first 12 minutes of the game to lead 40-34.

Denver led 30-29 when they went on a 10-5 run to finish the quarter leading by six. The Nuggets, not known for great defense, held the Warriors to 18 points in the second period to finish the first half leading 70-52.

Jokic paced the Nuggets attack with 14 points. Michael Porter, Jr. had 11. Stephen Curry had 13, and Andrew Wiggins ten for Golden State. The Warriors knew they had to catch fire in the second half if they were to get the win. They played hard. They won the second half 71-58 but could not catch Denver as they lost their first game of the season 128-123.

The game was decided in the second quarter. The Warriors second unit was not effective on defense, and the offense was nothing there. The Nuggets bottled up Jordan Poole. Poole scored two points in the first half. Warriors coach Steve Kerr could not insert Klay Thompson into the game as he is limited to about 20 minutes of playing time.

The other bench players added just 15 points. Denver’s bench tallied 26. Denver shot 59% from the floor and made eight threes in 14 tries. The Warriors shot 47% from the floor but made five threes in 22 attempts. 

The Warriors knew they would have to be at the top of their game in the third quarter. Denver increased the lead to twenty before the Warriors started their comeback. They clawed back to a seven-point deficit 86-79. The Warriors started making threes.

Klay Thompson made two, and Wiggins and Draymond Green each had one. Denver refused to wilt. They finished the third quarter leading 98-88. With the first unit on the floor, the Warriors made shots. Unfortunately for them, Denver made them, too.

Curry knocked down a three, and JaMychal Green followed with a two-point bucket to close within six points, 111-105, with more than four minutes left to play. Jokic kept attacking the Warrior defense.

The big guy made a bucket and was fouled. He converted the free throw, and Denver led 116-108. Curry answered with a three. Denver scored the next five points to lead by ten, 121-111. Curry hit another three, and Poole scored two to trail by five. Denver scored to lead 123-116. The Warriors trailed 124-121 after Draymond Green made a basket.

There was hope. Was there enough time? Poole made a huge play by stealing an inbound pass and scoring to bring the Warriors within a single point, 124-123. Denver went ahead 126-123 with 13 seconds left. Denver scored the last four points of the night to win 128-123. 

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 1-1. Denver is also 1-1. 

The Warriors won the second half 71-58. Their offense came alive, but Denver had just enough offense in the second half to get the win. 

The Warriors had five players in double figures Friday night. Curry led the team with 34. Curry made five three. Wiggins had 23, Thompson 16, Draymond Green 13, and James Wiseman 11. Poole was held to seven points. Poole did record seven assists. The team shot 47% from the floor. The Warriors made ten threes in 22 tries in the second half. They were 15 for 44 for the night. 

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic had a triple-trouble. Jokic had 26 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists. Bruce Brown had 20, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter, Jr. each had 17 points. Pope made three threes, and Porter connected five times. Bones Hyland had 14, Aaron Gordon ten, and Jeff Gordon ten.

The Warriors have 123 points in both games played so far. One game they one, one game they lost.

The Warriors host the Sacramento Kings Sunday night at the Chase Center. The game starts at 5:30 pm.