Warriors Rout Nuggets in Battle of NBA West Leaders

The Denver Nuggets have been on the heels of the Golden State Warriors this season, and trailed the Western Conference leaders by just one game when the two met in Oakland on March 8th, where a Denver victory would put the Nuggets into a tie for 1st. The two had split their first two meetings this season, with both of those games in Denver. The Warriors had lost five of eight, including a 128-95 blowout to the Boston Celtics on March 5th, so this looked like a good time for the Nuggets to be playing the defending NBA champs.

It didn’t start out that way, as the Warriors got off to a 27-8 lead, but Denver got right back into it, taking a 37-36 lead on a Malik Beasley three pointer with 6:25 left in the 2nd quarter. But Klay Thompson hit a three pointer with 5:45 left in the 2nd to give Golden State a 42-40 lead, a lead they would hold the rest of the way, winning 122-105.

Thompson led the Warriors with 39 points after missing the last two games with soreness in his right knee. Kevin Durant had 26 points. Golden State improved to 45-20, while Denver is now 43-22. A concern for the Nuggets is their record on the road; they are 16-16 away from home. The teams will meet for the final time in the regular season in Oakland on April 2nd.