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They did it again. The Denver Nuggets achieved another victory. They are now undefeated since the All-Star break, a perfect 3-0.
The Nuggets earned a 119-103 road victory against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night. This was Denver’s fourth win in four tries against the Warriors, solidifying their second consecutive sweep of the regular season series. They have won 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Warriors and are 7-0 since falling to Golden State in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
“In this building against that team, we know what they’re capable of and we know they’re also a very motivated team right now,” head coach Michael Malone said Sunday. “We hold our own against everyone we play. We know that as reigning world champions, we will achieve the best no matter who we play.”
This was a pretty difficult stretch for the Nuggets. They played 3 games in 4 days, including Sunday’s ESPN main event, and won all three.
Nikola Jokić recorded his third consecutive triple-double with 32 points on 13 of 24 field goals, 16 assists and 16 rebounds. He became the first player in NBA history to have at least 14 rebounds and 14 assists in three consecutive games.
“Anyone who plays with Nikola will have an easier time because Nikola is a great player and he makes everyone around him better,” Malone said.
Jamal Murray had a brilliant performance with 27 points on 9 of 16 shooting, 3 of 5 from the three-point line and 6 of 6 from the free throw line. After the game, he said that playing against Golden State’s Stephen Curry is a big motivation for him.
“Every time I see him, I try to bring that energy,” Murray said of Curry. “He brings out the best in you.”
The game started out pretty even until Klay Thompson caught fire. He would go on to score 23 points in the first half and help the Warriors build a 16-point lead. However, Murray came alive in the second quarter and scored 16 points. The Nuggets closed the half strong on a 21-5 run as Aaron Gordon sealed his man for a layup and Murray hit a spinning 3-pointer on a handoff with Jokić. Miraculously, the defending champions erased the 16-point deficit and tied the game at halftime, 61-61.
Denver immediately went on a 14-0 run to start the second half and put their stamp on the game. Curry shrugged off a slow start and scored 14 points in the third quarter, and the Warriors went on a 12-4 run. Christian Braun and Zeke Nnaji gave Denver big minutes in the fourth quarter; Nnaji grabbed two huge offensive rebounds, while Braun played tenacious defense and recorded a block. This helped Denver go on a 13-5 run and build an 11-point lead. Golden State had one last push, but then the Nuggets beat them with their patented two-man game between Murray and Jokić.
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