Nuggets Dominate Short-Handed Warriors in NBA Cup Play

Nikola Jokic narrowly missed a triple-double with 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists as the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 129-104 victory over the depleted Golden State Warriors on Friday night in West Group C NBA Cup play.

Jamal Murray added 23 points and eight assists for Denver, while Aaron Gordon scored 18. Jonas Valanciunas contributed 16 points, Christian Braun 12, and Peyton Watson 10 as the defending NBA champions improved to 1-1 in group play.

Golden State was without star guard Steph Curry for a second consecutive game as he continued to recover from illness. The Warriors did welcome back Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III after one-game absences, but veteran forward Al Horford sat out with a left foot injury.

Green led the Warriors with 17 points, hitting a season-high five three-pointers. Butler added 16, Quinten Post scored 14, Will Richard had 12, and Pat Spencer chipped in 10 in the team’s first NBA Cup contest.

Golden State briefly took the lead when Green opened the game with a three-pointer, but Denver quickly took control. The Nuggets built a 14-point advantage late in the first quarter before the Warriors closed the gap to 11 heading into the second.

Golden State opened the next quarter strong, scoring 10 straight points to make it 32-31. That rally was short-lived as the Nuggets answered with a decisive 19-3 run. Murray hit a pair of threes, Valanciunas drained one from beyond the arc, and added a hook shot before capping the surge with another deep shot, extending Denver’s lead to 51-34.

Murray continued his hot hand, scoring 16 points in the second quarter as Denver’s offense found its rhythm. The Nuggets carried a commanding 66-49 advantage into halftime.

Green tried to spark a comeback early in the third, knocking down two more three-pointers to bring the Warriors within 71-60, but Denver quickly regained momentum. Jokic scored on a smooth driving layup, Gordon delivered a highlight-reel dunk, and Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a jumper to push the lead back to 83-66.

Denver closed the third quarter on another strong run to enter the final period up 99-77. The Nuggets continued to dominate both ends of the court, extending their lead to as many as 28 points in the fourth quarter.

With the win, Denver avoided falling to 0-2 in NBA Cup play and looked every bit like the cohesive, balanced team that won last year’s championship. The Warriors, still adjusting without Curry, will look to regroup as the tournament continues.