Nuggets Dominate Warriors in Curry’s Absence, Jokic Nears Triple-Double

lethbridgeherald | Images

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets showcased their dominance on Friday night, defeating the Golden State Warriors 129-104 at Ball Arena, despite sitting Nikola Jokic for the entire fourth quarter. Jokic finished the game with 26 points, just one rebound and one assist shy of his sixth triple-double of the season, while Jamal Murray added 23 points for the Nuggets.

With the win, Denver improved to 5-0 at home and 6-1 overall since their season-opening loss to the Warriors. The victory also extended their strong start on a four-game homestand, which concludes Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers. The Warriors, missing superstar Stephen Curry for a second consecutive game due to illness, struggled on the road, losing their fifth straight away contest. Draymond Green returned from a rib injury to contribute 17 points, while Jimmy Butler added 16 after recovering from a back issue. Despite the absence of Curry, Golden State briefly pulled within one point, 32-31, on an 11-0 run in the second quarter during Jokic’s bench stint.

Denver responded decisively, with Murray hitting back-to-back three-pointers out of a timeout and Jonas Valanciunas adding another to ignite a 34-18 run, giving the Nuggets a 66-49 lead at halftime. The Nuggets extended their advantage to 99-77 by the end of the third quarter, and Jokic watched the remainder of the game from the bench.

The win kept Denver competitive in West Group C of the NBA Cup, following their opening loss at Portland on October 31. Golden State, meanwhile, was making its first NBA Cup appearance.

Up next: The Nuggets host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night, while the Warriors travel to face the Pacers on Sunday.