Warriors Escape Nuggets, Hunt for Sweep on Sunday
In the NBA playoffs, when a team goes down 0-3 in a series, their record is 0-143. Game 3’s of a playoff series are usually the most critical — as it usually dictates the result of the series.
When the Warriors traveled to Denver, Co. after their Monday night victory, they knew that it was do or die for the Nuggets. Though the Nuggets have been getting their usual production from MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, they were waiting on others to join the show.
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has been quiet and the Archbishop Mitty product has been struggling to make an impact on the series. But, the Warriors knew that sooner or later, other Nuggets would show up. Gordon was one of three Nuggets that finished in double-digits with 18 points. Jokic had 37 points of his own, but the Warriors had too much firepower.
“I like that we executed on both ends,” Head Coach Steve Kerr said. “We got some big defensive stops [at the end]. On offense, we were moving the ball well — moving the ball, getting open looks. It’s important to close a game like that on the road.”
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and guard Jordan Poole led the way with 27 points respectively. Guard Klay Thompson contributed with 26 points of his own, and forward Draymond Green had his usual statline of six points, 10 assists, five rebounds and two blocks.
“I missed this so much,” Thompson said. “It’s what you dream of, it’s what you prepare for and I don’t take for granted the nights for these. It’s just a gutsy win for our squad. Everything I worked for the last two years have come to fruition and I’m so incredibly grateful to be here and having fun.”
Basketball is a game of runs — and it was a see-saw battle through the first three quarters. Both teams fought back from their deficits and kept it interesting till the fourth quarter.
With the Nuggets and Warriors trading buckets near the end of the fourth quarter, the Warriors played a perfect last two minutes. In the critical 9-2 run — all five of the “PTSD + the W” lineup contributed to the run.
After missing the previous corner three, forward Andrew Wiggins redeemed himself with a draw-and-kick from Poole to give the Warriors the lead 112-111. Then, in the scramble, Poole showed his growth and instead of settling for the three, Poole drove into the lane and converted on a ridiculous up-and-under layup.
And with the Nuggets going scoreless in the last five possessions, Green had the defensive play of the night and pick-pocketed Jokic. A layup from Curry capped off the run and sealed the game for good. Thompson also had two of his six 3-pointers in that stretch.
It’s been a while since the Warriors had experienced a real playoff environment, and Curry said it was nice to see how the team responded.
In terms of historical records, Thompson broke Hall-of-Famer Ray Allen’s record of 3-pointers in NBA history and is now third on the all-time list.
Additionally, Poole continues to shine in the playoffs. After scoring 27 points in Game 3, Poole became the 16th player in NBA playoff history to score at least 25 points in their first three playoff games. The last Warrior to accomplish that record? Wilt Chamberlain.
“These last three games, I don’t remember a better start for a playoff debut for a guard,” Thompson said. “It’s incredible what Jordan's been doing and we need him to go where we wanna go.”
Catch Game 4 on Sunday, April 24 with the Warriors looking to close out the series with a sweep.
(Photo credit: NBAE / Getty Images)