The Denver Nuggets took a third quarter lead but promptly choked the game away to the short-handed Golden State Warriors and lost 128-117. It was Denver’s third game in four days, which might explain how they started but not how they absolutely fell apart under the fourth quarter pressure. With David Adelman at the helm now instead of Michael Malone, Denver’s clutch performances have completely evaporated and today was no different.
Denver lost the final frame 33-16 and now have two bad losses in their past three games, both of them close in the middle of the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokic had an incredible stat line, putting up 35 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists but was a complete non-factor down the stretch. Jamal Murray added 21 points and Christian Braun had 18, but it was the defense that once again failed them. The Warriors made 21 threes and shot 51% from the field, led by Moses Moody with 23 and the ageless Al Horford with 22, but had 6 players in their battered lineup with 15+ points as Denver took nothing away from Golden State’s plan. The Nuggets dared the Dubs to shoot, the Warriors obliged and Denver lost – again. With the games only getting tougher from here, the Nuggets had better find some answers to their late-game bleeding and fast.
Game Flow
The Nuggets came out a little sluggish and trailed 11-2 in the early going. Jokic did not have his early scoring touch but was slinging the ball all over the court for first quarter buckets. Unfortunately Denver missed some early attempts and on their third game in four days – and an afternoon game to boot – they didn’t have their legs in their deep shots. The Warriors were scrappy on defense with some turnovers and managed to hustle up some loose balls the Nuggets couldn’t get to. Denver closed to within three at 22-19 after some Nikola Jokic free throws, but the Warriors were on fire from deep and Denver had no answer. Jokic had 7 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in the first quarter but thanks to Golden State’s 9 made threes, Denver ended it trailing 39-27.
Denver started the quarter trying to get some scoring inside with Jonas Valanciunas anchoring the paint, but the Warriors wouldn’t let Denver’s bench close the gap. A Bruce Brown three was sandwiched by two more threes from Golden State, giving them 11 made for 50% of their field goals so far, and they led Denver 53-40 when Jamal Murray came back in and made his second basket of the game. Bruce Brown got a rebound but immediately turned it over for a layup, then Tim Hardaway Jr. banked in a paint shot and Jamal Murray hit a backboard finish to close it to 9 with Jokic back in the game. GSW got a layup as Denver’s defense had problems in rotation, but Mal answered with another bucket. Julian Strawther hit a nice floater curling around Jokic to make it 57-50. Moses Moody hit a pullup, then Santos hit Golden State’s 12th three of the game at the point, but Jokic answered back with his own three and Strawther got a steal and to the free throw line. Al Horford hit his fourth three of the half, and then Denver blew a transition play with late overpassing. Golden State was winning the 50/50 balls, with Denver turning the ball over, Christian Braun blocked into a Horford three, and not even a Jokic jumper and trip to the foul line in the final minute could close the gap. A Jokic turnover on a save attempt turned into another Warrior three and at the half, Golden State led 76-67.
Jamal opened the quarter with a traditional three-point play, then Jokic buried a three after he got a steal. Strawther missed a three, and Golden State kept killing Denver on back cuts. Jokic hit a long jumper, Denver forced a miss but couldn’t get the loose ball as the Warriors got a layup, and then Jokic continued Denver’s silly turnovers. Christian Braun had a great putback on a Murray miss as Denver closed to 82-78, then a Jokic putback closed it to 2. Horford had another great assist as the GSW ball movement remained terrific, but Cam Johnson hit free throws to tie it at 84. Moody baseline-dunked on Jokic, then fouled/blocked a Murray shot that got Murray a tech for complaining. Jokic got to the line and Christian Braun finished in transition to get Jokic his triple-double and Denver its first lead of the game. Joker had a nifty pass to Bruce Brown for a three, then put back his own miss for thirty points so far. Bruce had a bad turnover off a defensive stop, but he and Christian Braun fueled some good transition offense off steals and combined with free throws for Denver the Nuggets won the quarter 34-19 and led after three by 101-95.
The teams exchanged misses to start the quarter, but Podziemski got a paint bucket even as both teams now stayed cold from deep. Gary Payton II hit Golden State’s first three of the second half to tie the game at 101, but then a Jonas Valanciunas dunk was followed by a Bruce Brown steal and layup for Denver. Moody buried a three for the Warriors, but Denver got a steal the next time down. The Nuggets missed more shots but their active defense forced another turnover and Bruce dunked in transition. Jonas put in a shot, GP2 made another Warrior three, but Jonas missed his next try so Jokic and Murray came back into a tie game at 109-109. Podziemski made another three, then a Jokic turnover became a Podziemski floater. Denver had another tragic turnover for an easy bucket and Golden State led 116-109 just like that. Jamal Murray with back-to-back turnovers for a Golden State three to put them up 10, but Jokic found Jamal for a layup. Podziemski hit a paint finish, Bruce Brown absolutely blew his own and the rebound, and Golden State’s three point shooting finished a 20-2 run by Warriors. Jokic and Murray each hit threes in the closing minutes but it wasn’t enough as Denver couldn’t get stops. The Warriors celebrated a major victory without most of their stars, and Denver had its second bad loss in three games as they fell to the Warriors 128-117.
Final Thoughts
-It’s the same story – Denver can’t close games. The Warriors were 15-for-28 from deep at the half while the Nuggets were just 4-for-12, and Denver gave up 11 first half points off turnovers. Being down 9 at halftime despite coughing up 76 was a gift. Denver clawed it back in the third quarter and had a nice little lead… and then completely fell apart in the fourth with the exact same issues that plagued the first half. Foolish turnovers, poor defensive rotations, an inability to complete plays and a total choke job down the stretch sealed it. The Warriors tied it with effort and then won going away because the Nuggets folded. It’s coaching, it’s players, all of it. The Denver Nuggets are currently pretenders and if Aaron Gordon means this much to this squad, to the point that they can’t handle the Warriors who had half-a-dozen key players out, then they better find a new training staff to manage his leg injuries or this playoff run will be a short one.
Because if Denver can only win blowouts, then they won’t be racking up any victories past April.
