Nuggets Triumph Over Warriors in Hard-Fought Victory

Aaron Gordon delivered an impressive 38-point performance, while Russell Westbrook made a crucial 3-pointer late in the game and achieved a triple-double, as the shorthanded Denver Nuggets triumphed over the Golden State Warriors 114-105 on Monday night.

Westbrook added 12 points, a season-high 16 assists, and 11 rebounds to his remarkable night.

Jimmy Butler contributed 23 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, but the Warriors had their seven-game winning streak halted. Since Butler’s debut on February 8, Golden State’s record is 14-3 overall and 14-2 when he plays.

Stephen Curry put up 20 points and seven assists, while Draymond Green became the sixth player in the history of the Warriors franchise to achieve 6,000 career rebounds.

Michael Porter Jr. added 21 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists for Denver, playing without their key players Nikola Jokic, who is dealing with a bruised right elbow and left ankle impingement, and Jamal Murray, who is sidelined by a sprained right ankle.

Takeaways

Nuggets: Denver’s road record against the Western Conference stands at 12-8, with a 21-14 overall tally.

Warriors: Guard Brandin Podziemski was out for the fifth consecutive game due to a lower back strain, but he is expected to return for Tuesday night’s game against Milwaukee.

Key Moment

Right after Gary Payton II scored off a pass from Butler, he stole the ball from Jalen Pickett and assisted Butler for an alley-oop dunk at 11:23 in the second quarter. Butler then followed up with a layup after another Payton rebound.

Key Stat

In the opening quarter, Golden State struggled with their shooting, going 1 for 8 from the three-point line, with Curry hitting the sole shot. They missed 13 of their first 14 attempts and fell behind by double digits before Curry managed to make two more. The Warriors ended up shooting 8 for 33 from beyond the arc.

Up Next

The Nuggets will proceed to the second game of their four-match road series against the Lakers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Warriors continue their extended seven-game homestand, facing the Bucks on Tuesday night.