NBA: Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors

The Warriors own the best record in the NBA and they are privileged to be playing on Martin Luther King Day. After splitting the two game road trip, the Warriors are back at Oracle to host the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets don’t have a winning record, but they can be a cause for concern.

The match-up between Steph Curry and Ty Lawson will be fun to watch all game long. In case you missed the game, here is our instant recap:

1st Quarter

Both teams could not score to start the game. It took the Warriors about four minutes to get their first bucket, which was a Steph Curry triple. It tied the game at three, which is unusual for two top 10 scoring offenses. The Warriors were getting good looks, they just couldn’t convert. A low scoring game for the Warriors and fatigue might be playing a factor. Luckily, the Nuggets had their own offensive woes and only had 11 points in the first 10 minutes of the quarter. The Nuggets backcourt was scoreless until Ty Lawson scored with about a minute remaining in the quarter. The Warriors were able to pick up the pace to end the quarter and they finished with a 10 point lead. Curry led all scorers with nine points.

2nd Quarter

When the second quarter starts, Kerr always has his entire second unit on the floor and they have proved to very effective. After Jameer Nelson hit a three pointer, the Dubs went on a 9-0 run and increased their lead to 16. David Lee got it going with a pretty move on the block and the lead was now 18, the Warriors were in complete control. The Warriors were dominating the game and suffocating the Nuggets on both ends of the court. Some of the starters came back into the game and they kept it going. It took a while for them to find their rhythm, but they looked unstoppable at this point. It was a 22-5 run for the Dubs in the first eight minutes of the quarter. Ty Lawson gave the Nuggets some life by notching seven quick points.

3rd Quarter

The Warriors picked up where they left off and kept knocking down buckets. Steph Curry in particular was very involved, but the Nuggets were more efficient on offense, which we didn’t see in the first half. Not to be outdone, Thompson turned it up to another level. He scored eight straight points and the lead was now at 73-39. The Nuggets once again found their touch, but the deficit was too hard to overcome at this point. Coach Kerr took out his starters in the third and James Michael McAdoo made his Warrior debut when he checked in with less than a minute remaining. The Warriors were in control and this game was in the bag. They lead 89-60 at the end of three.

4th Quarter

The end of the bench was in the game to start the final period. Brandon Rush and McAdoo got to play an entire quarter, which could be good for their confidence. McAdoo got his first career point on a made free throw and the crowd was elated for him. Rush and McAdoo both made an impact and it got Oracle roaring again. With the exception of the first couple minutes of the first quarter, the Warriors have played a complete game from top the bottom. It didn’t matter who was on the floor, the outcome was the same. McAdoo took over the fourth quarter and he finished with eleven points and four rebounds.