The Denver Nuggets had won five straight coming into their game tonight against the Golden State Warriors. Despite being without Stephen Curry and several other key players, the Warriors gave the Nuggets all they could handle in the first half of the game before Denver fought back with a big third quarter. Nikola Jokic was once again the key catalyst for the Nuggets while Kristaps Porzingis mustered what points he could for Golden State. Denver suffocated the Warriors in the second half and they ran out of gas after surrendering the lead in the third. By the time the fourth was over the Nuggets won big, 116-93.
Both teams were running the floor to open the game and trading buckets. Things tightened up after that, the Nuggets hit a couple threes but otherwise there was little going through the hoop for either team. Golden State started to find their offense again midway through the first. Green knocked down a three and put the Warriors up five with under six minutes to play. They stayed up while the quarter progressed but Denver kept within striking distance. They started to lock in defensively with Jokic and four wings and made it tough on the Warriors to get a basket. Unfortunately, the Nuggets had an even harder time scoring themselves. Jokic got a couple buckets in the final minute and that kept Denver in it. After one they trailed 28-23.
Jamal Murray and Bruce Brown tied the game quickly in the second quarter but after that the offense died out for both teams again. The majority of the excitement early on came from some pushing and shoving between Zeke Nnaji and Gary Payton II. Denver held a small lead as the quarter progressed with Tim Hardaway Jr. hitting some shots but then the Warriors went on a run. Golden State was hitting their threes and the lead kept growing. After Porzingis swished another to put the Warriors up ten David Adelman had to take a timeout. It didn’t help and the Nuggets stayed behind double digits with the quarter winding down. Peyton Watson drew a flagrant foul as the game stayed chippy and that seemed to wake Denver up a bit. They strung together a couple buckets and then the game got a bit sloppy which seemed to work in the Nuggets favor. That helped them chip away the lead. At the half the score was 53-46 Warriors.
The Nuggets defense was engaged to open the third and they kept getting opportunities to try and take the lead but kept coming up a basket short. Hardaway, who checked in early for Cam Johnson (back spasms), converted a 4-point play right after the eight-minute mark to finally get Denver back in front. It lasted for only a possession as the Warriors responded with a mini run to immediately take back the advantage. Denver kept close behind Jokic’s scoring and passing, he set up a couple Christian Braun fast breaks that ultimately tied the game again at the four minute mark. Denver pushed ahead as Hardaway hit another three and gave them a five point lead to make Golden State take a timeout. Porzingis was keeping the Warriors in it while Jokic & Hardaway kept making plays for the Nuggets. They closed the quarter strong with Jokic hitting Julian Strawther in the corner for a three to make the lead 86-74 after three.
Jonas Valanciunas made a rare appearance to open the final quarter which allowed Murray to play the two-man game with a scoring focus and he took advantage. The lead got up to fifteen and Golden State needed a timeout. For a moment they started to push back but Hardaway had an answer and within a couple minutes the lead was fifteen again and Steve Kerr was calling his team over to the bench to discuss again. With the Nuggets still up fourteen Jokic checked back in the game to try to finish the Warriors off. Golden State wasn’t quite ready to go away, Brandin Podziemski was being a pest and helped cut into Denver’s advantage a bit, but time was starting to work against them. The Nuggets put together another run by, well, running and suddenly the Warriors were waiving the white flag. Kerr called a timeout and unloaded his bench. The final minutes played out with Denver’s deep bench pushing the lead up past twenty. When it was all said and done the Nuggets win in a blowout, 116-93.
An all-around performance from Jokić!
— NBA (@NBA) March 30, 2026
🃏 25 PTS
🃏 15 REB
🃏 8 AST
🃏 4 3PM
Nuggets win their 6th in a row 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eI1SDB5FAY
Final Thoughts
The injury woes continue
Denver lost three players tonight to injury. Cam Johnson left in the third quarter with back spasms, Spencer Jones exited in the second with a hamstring strain and Nnaji left in the forth with a hip impingement. The Nuggets have avoided a disastrous injury throughout the season thus far (knock on wood) but these nagging injuries will become even more problematic if the Nuggets are picking them up late in the season. If Jones’ strain is as severe as Aaron Gordon’s (DNP injury management) or Peyton Watson’s then he is going to be in real danger of not being available come the open of the playoffs. Nnaji and Strawther played well and filled some of those gaps but then Zeke was unavailable too. Denver can’t afford to keep losing regular rotation players like this, especially if their depth is getting hurt too. Here’s hoping both all three guys will be back soon.
Tim Hardaway is the Nuggets X Factor
You know what you are getting with Murray and Jokic. Gordon & Braun have established their roles and play them very well. In the past, Michael Porter Jr. served as that X Factor for Denver. If he was on then the Nuggets were practically unbeatable. Coming into this season the idea was Johnson would fill that role while also giving Denver some cap relief and better defense. They added Hardaway as a vet minimum signing to bolster their depth but due to injury and Tim’s just sheer fearless shooting, he’s elevated himself into the X-Factor role for the Nuggets. When Denver needs a bucket the hierarchy is Jokic, Murray, Hardaway and that’s based on his performance flat out demanding it. Tim is not going to win the Sixth Man of the Year award, but not since J.R. Smith has Denver had a sixth man this deadly on offense.
Give credit to the Nuggets defense
No, the Warriors are not what you’d call an offensive juggernaut, particularly sans Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, but nonetheless the Nuggets showed they’ve got the capability to be an elite defensive team, even when down some of their top defenders. No AG and no Jones the second half didn’t stop the Nuggets from locking in. After about the ten minute mark of the first quarter everything became very difficult for Golden State on the offensive end. The Nuggets only allowed the Warriors to score more than 25 points in one quarter and held them to forty in the second half (though some of that was because of garbage time). Give credit to Adelman who effectively mixed size and small ball throughout the game and got big performances in key moments from guys like Valanciunas and Nnaji.
