The Denver Nuggets managed to secure a narrow 108-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, with a fatigued Nikola Jokic leading the charge. Despite his exhaustion, Jokic displayed an impressive performance, contributing 35 points and 13 rebounds in over 36 minutes of play. Reggie Jackson stepped up in the absence of the injured Jamal Murray, adding 20 points to aid the defending champions in improving their record to a league-leading 8-1 overall, with a flawless 6-0 home record.
Jokic’s weariness was evident as he played the entire third quarter, aiming to bolster the struggling bench unit while also expending energy in his matchup against Kevon Looney, the Warriors’ formidable big man. With 15 seconds left on the clock and the Nuggets holding a slim 107-105 lead, Jokic had an opportunity to seal the victory but missed two crucial free throws. Fortunately for Denver, Stephen Curry’s attempt to tie the game with a floater in the lane fell short, resulting in the ball going out of bounds off the Warriors. Jackson converted one of two free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining, and Klay Thompson was unable to get off a shot before the final buzzer.
Reflecting on the game, Thompson acknowledged the Warriors’ competitive spirit, stating, “I thought we competed at a high level. We were right there, gave ourselves a chance to win in a very hard place to win.” Michael Porter Jr. contributed 17 points for the Nuggets, while Aaron Gordon provided a double-double performance with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Despite being closely guarded by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for the majority of the game, Curry managed to tally 23 points, fresh off his recognition as the Western Conference player of the week. Thompson chipped in with 15 points.
Denver enjoyed a 12-point lead in the first half but found themselves trailing by five early in the fourth quarter. However, fueled by the efforts of Jackson and Jokic, they mounted a comeback to secure the victory. The Warriors’ bench played a crucial role in keeping them in contention, outscoring Denver’s reserves by a significant margin of 42-12. Expressing his disappointment in the bench performance, Nuggets coach Michael Malone commented, “I thought that our bench struggled tonight. Our young guys, I didn’t think were really prepared to come into the game and play tonight. First time I’ve seen that this season, and they’ll learn from it.” Malone opted to give veteran Justin Holiday playing time over some of the younger players in the fourth quarter, emphasizing the need to earn minutes through consistent performance.
Both teams faced roster challenges, with the Nuggets missing Murray for a second consecutive game due to a strained right hamstring. The Warriors, on the other hand, were without Draymond Green for personal reasons and Gary Payton II due to illness.
The highly anticipated matchup between former MVPs Curry and Jokic provided an exciting subplot to the game. Jokic showcased his exceptional court vision, recording five assists, with his pass to Jackson for a crucial basket with 1:09 remaining standing out as a highlight. Jokic also displayed a more aggressive scoring mindset against the Warriors, taking 25 shots and converting 14 of them, albeit struggling from beyond the arc, where he went 1 of 8.
Curry continued to dazzle with his long-range shooting, connecting on 6 of 13 attempts from behind the arc. He extended his streak of hitting four or more three-pointers to nine consecutive games to start the season. Despite the tough loss, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his pride in the team’s effort, stating, “It was a hell of a fight. Our guys really competed and gave themselves a chance to win. Tough, tough way to finish, but couldn’t be more proud of them and more excited about our team.