Nuggets Vs Warriors: Podziemski’s Late Flare Carries Shorthanded Golden State to 128-117 Win
In a surprising finish on Feb 22, 2026 in San Francisco, the nuggets vs warriors matchup ended 128-117 as Brandin Podziemski scored 12 of his 18 points in the final five minutes to lift a shorthanded Golden State squad over Denver. The result matters because Golden State overcame multiple pregame setbacks while Denver’s star produced another historic triple-double.
Nuggets Vs Warriors: Game recap
The Warriors beat the Nuggets 128-117 at the Chase Center. Golden State ended a two-game losing streak and closed the game on a 19-8 run. Podziemski supplied a pair of late 3-pointers and a put-back during that run; Al Horford added his sixth 3-pointer as the Chase Center crowd reacted. Denver never led in the first half and made a second-half push before the closing run.
Podziemski’s clutch finish and full stat line
Brandin Podziemski finished with 18 points, shooting 7 of 16, and he also compiled 15 rebounds and nine assists. Crucially, 12 of those 18 points came in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, which swung the outcome in Golden State’s favor.
Horford, Moody and Melton fuel a thin Warriors rotation
Al Horford hit six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points and seven assists, getting Golden State going early with a pair of first-quarter triples and 11 points in that period. Moses Moody added 23 points and seven rebounds, and De'Anthony Melton contributed 20 points. The Warriors started Pat Spencer, De'Anthony Melton, Moses Moody, Gui Santos and Al Horford; later contributions included Gui Santos and rookie Will Richard in the first-quarter flurry that left the Warriors leading 39-27 after the opening frame. Golden State shot 9-for-19 from three in the first quarter and had 15 made threes by halftime, setting a season record for most points in the first half for the team. The second quarter saw a team effort with all nine healthy players contributing.
Jokić’s triple-double and Nuggets notes
Nikola Jokić recorded 25 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists — his fifth triple-double in seven games, the 19th of the season and the 183rd of his career. Jamal Murray scored 21 points for Denver, Christian Braun had 18 and Bruce Brown added 12. Denver had won three of five coming into the matchup and had come off a 54-point win over Portland on Friday. Early in the game, Jokić assisted on the Nuggets’ first six field goals by a mandatory timeout just over five minutes in.
Pregame absences and availability impact
The Warriors entered the contest severely undermanned. Stephen Curry was out with a knee issue, and the team was playing its seventh straight game without him. Kristaps Porziņģis was listed as sick and was unable to make the arena; he had been set to play his second game with the team and the coach, Steve Kerr, said Porziņģis may not join the Warriors on their upcoming two-city road trip and characterized the illness as very serious. Draymond Green was ruled out minutes before tip with a lower back injury and was a late scratch. Jimmy Butler III remained out with a torn right ACL. Denver was missing Aaron Gordon but was otherwise healthy; the Nuggets were 36-21 entering this game.
What’s next for both teams
Denver is scheduled to host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Golden State is scheduled to play at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Details and rosters for those games were not provided in full in the available coverage; schedule listings are subject to change.
Note: Recent updates indicate the situation surrounding Kristaps Porziņģis' illness may evolve and that availability for upcoming games could change.
