The Denver Nuggets turned a 30-point deficit at halftime into a 10-point margin with 3:38 remaining against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland on Friday. No one in the NBA is in the business of “moral victories,” but the Nuggets showed a great deal of character against the defending NBA champions, who have lost just two games at Oracle Arena going all the way back to last season.
The guys from The Nosebleed Section were live as the fourth quarter unfolded and Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton was forced to put Steph Curry and Klay Thompson back in to close out the game. Ultimately, the Warriors dropped the Nuggets 119-104 to move to 6-0 while Denver fell to 2-4 on the season.
It was an improved effort on Thursday’s home loss to the Jazz, putting a scare into the champs on their home court. Denver actually outscored Golden State in both the third and fourth quarters. Five Nuggets were in double figures, led by Danilo Gallinari with 25.
Head coach Michael Malone has stressed a “hard work” attitude with this young Nuggets squad; that effort has been inconsistent through the first six games.
Chris DeHart-Reed likens their progress to the world of car racing. The Nuggets, he says, are transitioning from being a “NASCAR” team to an “open wheel” team. Their driver, Malone, certainly looks capable of steering them to victory, but his car is still a work in progress.
The Nuggets can be happy with their second-half effort against Golden State, and if they bring that same level of play for a full four quarters against lesser opponents they’ll get back on track in no time. With three straight home games next week, Denver can get back above .500 before hitting the road for their next three.
Listen to their full discussion in the podcast below…
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