The Denver Nuggets scored a huge win last Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors, who are one of the best teams in the NBA (they are the second seed in the West). Many NBA fans would consider Golden State to be one of the top title contenders this season. The injury-nagged Nuggets managed to beat a mostly healthy Warriors team, who recently got All-Star guard Klay Thompson back after two seasons lost to injuries.
What Does Beating the Warriors Mean For Denver?
One thing to take away from this game is how the Nuggets played down the stretch late in the fourth quarter. There have been games in the past (such as game seven of the 2019 playoffs series against Portland) where the Nuggets play very well but when the opponent gets hot in crunch time they lose composure and can’t seem to finish the game. The Nuggets were down by eight points entering the fourth quarter and did not take the lead until the very end of the game. Denver’s superstar Nikola Jokic responded to this challenge by scoring 10 points in the 4th quarter, and finishing the game with 35 points 17 rebounds, and eight assists. It seems Denver continues to grow into a clutch team as they mature as a group.
While two of Denver’s best players, point guard Jamal Murray and forward Michael Porter, Jr, miss significant time with injuries, other players are forced to step up. They showed they are capable of doing that in the win against Golden State. Monte Morris made the two game-winning plays at the end of the game with a break-away lay-up and a clutch last-second three-pointer. Brynn Forbes scored 22 points off of the bench, shooting 4-7 from three. DeMarcus Cousins also showed he can be a very useful backup big man while Jokic was on the bench, scoring six points, five rebounds, and two assists while shooting fifty percent field goal percentage.
This was a very significant and impressive win. The Denver Nuggets are the sixth seed in the Western Conference. That said, if they can beat the Warriors they can beat anyone, especially when they are at full strength. The Nuggets may not have the best record in the NBA, but they are actually in great shape after the first half of the season. They showcased this by beating one of the top teams in the league going into the all-star break. The Nuggets should return from the All-star break with great confidence to finish up the regular season. It would be very interesting to see what Denver can do in the playoffs, especially if Jamal Murray and or Michael Porter Jr. return from injury by then.
