Nuggets Dominate Warriors Without Stephen Curry, 129–104; Jokic Just Shy of Triple-Double

The Associated Press

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets continued their strong start to the 2025–26 NBA season with a commanding 129–104 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Nikola Jokic led the way with 26 points, narrowly missing another triple-double by just one rebound and one assist, while Jamal Murray added 23 points to help Denver improve to 5–0 at home.

Jokic, who sat out the entire fourth quarter, paced a balanced Nuggets offense that saw contributions from across the roster. The two-time MVP orchestrated the game with his signature efficiency, allowing Denver to control the pace and maintain a double-digit lead through most of the contest. Golden State, playing without star guard Stephen Curry for the second consecutive game due to illness, struggled to generate consistent offense. Draymond Green returned from a rib injury and scored 17 points, while Jimmy Butler, also back in action after a back issue, contributed 16. Despite their efforts, the Warriors dropped their fifth straight road game. “Steph’s good, feeling a little better today,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr before the game. “We’ve been in touch through text. Hopefully, he’ll be back Sunday night against the Pacers.” The Warriors managed to close the gap briefly in the second quarter, using an 11–0 run while Jokic rested to cut the Nuggets’ lead to 32–31. However, Denver responded immediately after a timeout, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Murray and another from Jonas Valanciunas. The surge fueled a 34–18 run to end the half with Denver leading 66–49.

The Nuggets continued to pour it on in the third quarter, extending their advantage to 99–77. With the game well in hand, Jokic rested the entire final period as Denver’s bench maintained control down the stretch. The win marked Denver’s sixth victory in seven games since their season-opening loss to Golden State and kept them alive in West Group C play for the NBA Cup. The Nuggets will look to close out their four-game homestand with another win when they host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Golden State, meanwhile, returns home to face the Pacers on Sunday as they hope to snap their road losing streak and regain rhythm once Curry returns to the lineup.