NBA
The Warriors Remain on Top of the Western Conference
The last time the Warriors and Nuggets faced off was in Denver on January 12th. Unlike last night’s matchup at Oracle Arena, the Nuggets never had a fighting chance of winning. The Warriors defeated Denver 142-111 and took sole possession of first place in the Western Conference. However, last night proved to be more competitive.
After being up the entire first quarter, Denver battled back and took a brief lead in the process. Denver’s comeback would not last long. The Warriors were determined to go into the half with a lead. This would prove to be crucial as the Warriors carried that momentum into the second half. Once they went up 17 points, there was no looking back. In what proved to be a reassertion of their authority, the Warriors defeated the Nuggets 122-105 to hold on to the top spot in the Western Conference.
Klay Thompson’s 39 Points Lifts Warriors to Victory Over The Nuggets
The Warriors received a boost last night in the form of the returning Klay Thompson. Thompson sat out the two previous games due to soreness in his knee. Klay did not take too long to make his presence felt. He knocked down his first of nine three-pointers less than two minutes into the game. Klay would go on to score 39 points (9-11 3-pointers, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds). This was Thompson’s third game this season where he had nine or more three-pointers.
Kevin Durant would not be denied. Durant had 26 points and was perfect from three-point land, going 2-2 from downtown. DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins efforts were beastly. He scored 13 points and provided stats that the devil himself would be proud of with six blocks, rebounds, and assists. Stephen Curry contributed four three-pointers, bringing his tally to 17 points, and Draymond Green had more rebounds than he did points with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 points.
The Nuggets Have April 2nd Marked on Their Calendar
The Warriors are now up 2-1 in the season series versus the Nuggets. Denver now has added motivation to have April 2nd marked on its calendar. There is a strong chance that when these two teams meet again, it will be a battle for the top spot in the Western Conference for a third time. Denver must correct a few shortcomings in order to have their best shot to compete against the Warriors.
Every Nuggets player in their starting lineup with the exception of Jamal Murray (11 points, 3 assists, 1 turnover) committed multiple turnovers. Also, it will require a stronger three-point shooting effort from their starting five. Malik Beasley’s five three-pointers (5-13, 17 points) matched the combined tally of four of their starters. Beasley wasn’t the only player from the Nuggets bench with a strong performance. Monte Morris also outshined them by matching Beasley with 17 points. Denver will look to get back on track this Tuesday night at home against the T’Wolves.
Aint No Sunshine…
The Warriors looked to be in true playoff form last evening. Although they cannot allow themselves to slip back into complacency. Golden State went 3-5 over eight games prior to last nights victory over the Nuggets. Waiting for the Warriors is a dangerous Phoenix Suns team. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. The lowly Suns, with a 15-51 record, who have knocked off the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks twice this season! If the Warriors are not careful they could face the same fate. The last time that these two squads went head to head, the Warriors escaped with a 117-107 victory on the road. Will the Warriors remain focused and pick up their second win in a row at home? Or will the Suns be able to play spoiler? Tune in to find out!
Written by Todd Smith
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