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Four dreadful minutes costs Golden State Warriors in Denver

By Peter O'Keefe

DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is knocked to the floor while playing the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on February 2, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 02: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is knocked to the floor while playing the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on February 2, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors are back at .500 with their second loss in as many nights, fading in the second-half again after a promising early display against the Denver Nuggets.

A 134-117 loss was defined by a 16-0 Denver run in less than four minutes late in the third-quarter, turning an otherwise close contest into a comfortable win for the hosts. There were some positives

A 17-point loss to the Denver Nuggets has pushed the Golden State Warriors back to a 26-26 record and ninth in the Western Conference.

After crumbling to a loss in Minnesota on Wednesday, in which they held a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, the Warriors’ key players made the trip to Denver in an attempt to atone for the disastrous second-half.

Klay Thompson had already been ruled out, but Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were suited up for action before the latter was a late scratch just prior to tip-off. Jonathan Kuminga got the start in his absence, joining Curry, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney in the opening five.

The Warriors led by one after 12 minutes and the Nuggets by one after 24, with both teams shooting over 50% from the field in a 139-point first-half. Curry had 14 points and four rebounds, while Poole, DiVincenzo and an impressive Kuminga had 12 apiece.

https://twitter.com/warriors/status/1621339317477195777

The undermanned reigning champions kept up with the number one seeded Nuggets for the majority of the third. A Poole layup tied the game at 85, before the fateful four-minute period that ultimately decided the game.

Entering the fourth down 14, Golden State never got within single-digits nor threatened to make it a game again. Curry finished the contest with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists on 58.5% from the field and 50% from three. Poole also had an efficient 22 points and five assists, while Kuminga had 17 points and seven rebounds.

The offensive end wasn’t the issue for the Warriors, even if their efficiency spluttered in the second-half for the second night in a row. Defensively they simply had no answer for the dynamic duo of Jamal Murray (33 points) and MVP favorite Nikola Jokic (22 points, 14 rebounds and 16 assists).

Strangely enough, Golden State’s leaders in plus-minus were two players who hadn’t been seen in a while. With Green out, James Wiseman saw action for the first time this year, recording nine points, two rebounds and was +7 in just under 17 minutes. Ty Jerome was the only other to record a positive plus-minus, finishing with nine points, three assists, a steal and two blocks on the night.

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The Warriors finish the three-game road-trip with a 1-2 record and will now fly home before hosting the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center on Saturday.

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