Denver Nuggets Make Late Push, Fall Short in OT, 111-108

The Denver Nuggets trailed by 24 points after the first quarter, but they rallied to force overtime against the Warriors, ultimately losing by a score of 111-108.

The Denver Nuggets entered their road matchup against the Golden State Warriors with a four-game losing streak. With the Warriors owning the NBA’s best record, the Denver Nuggets looked to be David versus the Goliath. In the first quarter, the Denver Nuggets fell behind by 24 points, effectively forcing them to play catch-up for the remainder of the game.

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The Denver Nuggets failed to stop Draymond Green early in the first quarter. Green scored 12 of the Warriors’ first 16 points, as he looked to add another triple double onto his league-leading total. After a wretched first quarter, the Denver Nuggets got their act together, outscoring the Warriors 34-26 in the second quarter; however, they still had a mountain to climb if they intended on competing in the second half.

Stephen Curry left the game with a bruised shin, and he did not return after exiting the game. With Curry out, the Denver Nuggets looked to capitalize on the short-handed Warriors squad. Danilo Gallinari returned to the lineup for this game after missing several games due to an ankle injury. Gallinari did not disappoint in his return to the Denver Nuggets’ lineup, posting 24 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

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In the third quarter, the Denver Nuggets continued their push to narrow the gap the Warriors created in the first quarter. The Denver Nuggets won the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 30-27; however, that cut the Warriors lead to 13 points entering the fourth quarter. With the Denver Nuggets up against the wall heading into the fourth quarter, they needed to play flawless basketball in order to knock off the Warriors.

The Denver Nuggets did just that, tying the game up late in the fourth quarter by a score of 102-102 to force overtime. Will Barton and Jameer Nelson helped bring the Denver Nuggets into overtime with worthwhile performances; however, the Denver Nuggets fell to the Warriors by a score of 111-108, with Green and Klay Thompson leading the way.

If it were not for the Denver Nuggets stumbling out of the gate, they might have handed the Warriors their third loss on the season. Instead, it was a narrow defeat to the short-staffed Warriors, who were without Steph Curry for most of the game. Despite Curry missing the majority of the game, Draymond Green posted, yet another, triple-double, finishing the game 29 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds.

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With another triple-double on the season, Green vaults himself into the MVP race and has opened eyes of many fans around the NBA. For the Denver Nuggets, three players finished with 20 or more points: Gallinari (24), Nelson (20), and Barton (21). Moreover, Will Barton accumulated a double-double on the night, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Barton continues to demonstrate why he should be considered the best player on the Denver Nuggets, putting in stellar performances on a nightly basis.

If there was a silver lining to the game for the Denver Nuggets, it is the fact that Jusuf Nurkic returned to the lineup for the first time all season; however, he only logged four minutes, posting three points and two rebounds in the process. Both Nurkic and Nikola Jokic had quiet games tonight against the Warriors, with the duo registering only nine minutes combined.

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With the loss, the Denver Nuggets have now lost five-straight, but they will look to right the ship on the road against the Portland Trailblazers, Will Barton’s former team. The Denver Nuggets looked on the right path earlier in the season; however, the wheels have fallen off the wagon as of late. These next couple of weeks will determine what direction the Denver Nuggets are heading for the remainder of the season.

On a side note, Kenneth Faried suffered a neck injury that required him to be stretchered off the court. We wish Faried a quick recovery. Tough to watch.

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