By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic didn’t miss a free throw, Jamal Murray scored big buckets down the stretch and the Denver Nuggets beat the Golden State Warriors on Christmas day.
The final score was 120-114 with the Joker finishing the game with 26 points on 18/18 FT, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Murray was the top scorer of the defending champions with 28 points.
Andrew Wiggins with 22 points was the top scorer of the losing side, while Croatian forward Dario Saric added 14 points. The Warriors didn’t get what it was expected from Steph Curry who had 18 points on 3/13 threes, while Klay Thompson scored just nine points on 3/10 threes.
Still, the game was decided on the last two minutes with Denver closing it the right way.
To be exact with one his three made threes, Curry cut Denver’s lead to four (114-110) entering the last two minutes, but then he missed two more shots which could trim the lead even more, while on a crucial play a three by Thompson was blocked by Michael Porter junior.
On the contrary with the Warriors trying to play full court press, Denver reacted the right way on a play that included a rare breakaway dunk by Jokic.
You know it’s Christmas when Jokic DUNKSpic.twitter.com/ayYLCLBnN1
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) December 25, 2023
After the game, Steve Kerr complained about the calls and specially about Nikola Jokic’s 18 free throws: “I have a problem with the way we are legislating defense out of the game. We’re just enabling players to get their way to the foul line. If I were a fan, I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second half. It was disgusting.”
After this result, the Nuggets remain second in the West with a 22-10 record, while the Warriors dropped to 15-15 record, staying in the 10th position of the Western Conference standings.