Nuggets Vs Warriors: Podziemski’s late surge lifts undermanned Golden State to 128-117 victory
The Golden State Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets 128-117 in San Francisco, a turnaround fueled by Brandin Podziemski’s fourth-quarter outburst in a game still notable for Nikola Jokic’s triple-double. The result matters now because the Warriors prevailed despite missing four of their highest-paid players and because the Nuggets arrived weary after their third road game in four days.
Nuggets Vs Warriors: Brandin Podziemski’s fourth-quarter burst
Brandin Podziemski finished with 18 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, nine assists and a steal in 37 minutes, turning a rough start into a decisive finish. He began 1-for-10 from the field but went 6-for-6 in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the final 12 minutes; 12 of his 18 points came in the last five minutes. Overall he shot 7 of 16 for the game. His late scoring included a pair of threes and a put-back during the Warriors’ closing 19-8 run that sealed the victory.
Al Horford’s six 3s and a veteran spark
Al Horford supplied an early offensive jolt, knocking down two 3-pointers in the first 76 seconds, three in the first quarter and six total on the night as Golden State built an early cushion. Horford finished with 22 points — the most he has scored in a Warriors uniform — and added seven assists, stretching the floor in place of Draymond Green and helping the Warriors make 15 first-half 3s.
Nikola Jokic’s triple-double and limited late impact
Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double that featured 20 rebounds and 12 assists; his listed point total varies in accounts as either 35 or 25. It was noted as his fifth triple-double in seven games, the 19th of the season and the 183rd of his career. Jokic played every second of the third quarter, when he had 14 points and seven rebounds and Denver outscored Golden State 34-19, but after returning for the final six minutes he managed just three points, one rebound and two shots as the Nuggets were outscored by 11 down the stretch.
Missing starters: Curry, Porzingis, Butler and Green
The Warriors were undermanned. Stephen Curry remained sidelined with persistent knee soreness and is projected to miss at least another week, Kristaps Porzingis woke up ill and did not make it to the arena, Jimmy Butler is out for the season with a torn right ACL, and Draymond Green was a late scratch because of lower back tightness. Those four players carry a combined salary of $170. 3 million this season. Coach Steve Kerr said the team’s plan was to keep pressure on Denver, to run and to try to wear the Nuggets down; the Warriors’ relative freshness contrasted with Denver’s schedule and contributed to Golden State’s effectiveness early.
Bench contributions, momentum swings and coach reactions
Moses Moody added 23 points and seven rebounds, and DeAnthony Melton supplied 20 points, giving Golden State seven players in double figures. For Denver, Jamal Murray scored 21, Christian Braun had 18 and Bruce Brown contributed 12. Nuggets coach David Adelman called the late pregame switch from Green to Horford “confusing, ” noting that it changed the game plan. What makes this notable is how lineup changes and rotation decisions — compounded by Denver’s short turnaround and an early 12: 30 p. m. local tip — altered matchups and tempo throughout the contest.
Historical notes, crowd moments and what’s next
Podziemski’s 15 points and eight rebounds in a single quarter as a reserve marks only the eighth such quarter in the play-by-play era since 1997-98 for a bench player, and the last time a Warriors reserve posted at least 18 points and 15 rebounds off the bench was Corey Maggette in January 2009. At Chase Center, an emotional moment followed the win: Stephen Curry, still sidelined, greeted Podziemski with an exuberant “Yes, Podz!” as the 22-year-old walked past the locker room steps to the interview area. The teams’ next games are on the immediate schedule: Denver hosts the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, and Golden State plays at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.
Across the box score and the turnover of personnel, the game offered a clear cause-and-effect arc: injuries and an abbreviated Denver travel stretch helped Golden State impose a high-volume perimeter attack early, Horford’s hot start and Podziemski’s late efficiency produced the scoring edge, and Jokic’s workload after a 16-game absence for a hyperextended knee — this was his 10th game back following that absence — still left integration incomplete as Denver faltered in the final minutes.
