Nuggets Vs Warriors — nuggets vs warriors: Brandin Podziemski leads shorthanded Warriors to stunning win
The Warriors beat the Denver Nuggets 128-117 on Sunday in a surprising result in a matchup the coverage framed as nuggets vs warriors. Golden State managed the win while playing its seventh straight game without Steph Curry and after late- breaking availability losses.
Nuggets Vs Warriors Momentum Shift
The Dubs overcame a pregame one-two punch. A few hours before tip, the Warriors announced recent trade acquisition Kristaps Porziņģis, who had been set to play his second game with the team, was sick and would not be able to make it to the arena. Coach Steve Kerr made it sound like it was a very serious illness and revealed that the stretch big may not join the Warriors on their upcoming two-city road trip. Minutes before the game began, the team announced Draymond Green was dealing with a lower back injury and wouldn’t play. That left Golden State, sans Curry, Green, Porziņģis, and Jimmy Butler III, to take on the 36-21 Nuggets, who were playing without Aaron Gordon but were otherwise healthy.
Injury and availability updates
Kristaps Porziņģis was described as sick and unable to make the arena; he had been set for his second game with the Warriors. Steve Kerr framed that illness as very serious and said Porziņģis may not join the team on an upcoming two-city road trip. Draymond Green’s absence was announced minutes before tip because of a lower back injury; the team said he would not play. The Warriors were also missing Steph Curry for a seventh straight game, and Jimmy Butler III was listed among the absences.
Early barrage and ball movement
Golden State’s starting five—Pat Spencer, De’Anthony Melton, Moses Moody, Gui Santos, and Al Horford—came out firing, creating incredible ball movement and what the article called Curry-esque shooting from deep. Al Horford drained a pair of triples in the opening moments as the Warriors jumped to an 11-2 lead. Even while Denver’s offense found ways to run through Nikola Jokić, Golden State’s ball movement kept them in front early.
Jokić’s play and Denver response
Nikola Jokić handled much of Denver’s early playmaking: at the mandatory timeout just over five minutes in, the Nuggets had made six field goals and Jokić had assisted on all six. Christian Braun was active cutting against the Warriors, and Gui Santos did a little bit of everything to keep Golden State afloat. Denver tightened up defensively to open the second quarter, and first-time All-Star Jamal Murray began chipping away at the lead.
First-half shooting and records
The first quarter closed with the Warriors leading 39-27 after a flurry led by Santos and rookie Will Richard; Golden State had shot 9-for-19 from three-point range in the opening frame, with Horford finishing the quarter with 11 electric points and Moses Moody adding eight. By halftime the Warriors led 76-67, having made a stunning 15 threes in the first half. With Curry sidelined, the team set its season record for most points in the first half. The second quarter was described as a complete team effort, with all nine healthy players contributing through deflections, loose-ball instincts, rebounds and continued three-point shooting.
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All named players and game details above are taken from the available account of the contest and reflect the sequence of events and availability notes presented in that text.
