Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic hits a game-winning 3-pointer over Golden State Warriors’ Kevon Looney throughout an NBA basketball recreation in San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle by way of AP)
SAN FRANCISCO — With three seconds left in a tie recreation, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone arrange Nikola Jokic to be the protection valve on an inbounds move on the far finish. Jamal Murray, the primary choice, wasn’t accessible up the sideline. Neither was second-choice Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
As an alternative, Aaron Gordon received the ball to Jokic, who took three dribbles throughout halfcourt, stopped and launched a 40-footer over Kevon Looney from the fitting sideline that banked in as time expired. Which have the Nuggets a surprising 130-127 victory Thursday night time after trailing by 18 factors within the fourth quarter. They closed with a 25-4 run.
Jokic had 34 factors, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. He tied it at 127 with a brief jumper with 26 seconds left. Golden State’s ultimate possession ended with Stephen Curry’s turnover, setting the the stage for Jokic’s winner.
Malone mentioned he informed Jokic in the course of the timeout to “take two dribbles over halfcourt and shoot.”
“And he executed the play to perfection,” Malone mentioned. “However nice gamers make nice performs. And Nikola catching the ball and making one thing occur behind that’s simply unbelievable.”
Jokic mentioned he was simply attempting to “get a bit of bit nearer and simply throw it to the basket.”
“I feel these pictures are the simplest pictures to take,” Jokic mentioned. “You don’t have another choice.”
“That is only a nice participant making an incredible play with the sport on the road.”
– Coach Michael Malone pic.twitter.com/oH0Pr1GbUw
— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2024
The defending champion Nuggets have gained 11 of 13 and 6 straight on the street. They despatched the Warriors — who didn’t get again to .500 after snapping a three-game skid Tuesday night time — to a 1-3 begin on their seven-game homestand.
Golden State has blown a number of double-digit leads this season.
“These video games all come right down to the wire, it looks like for us this 12 months,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned. “We’ve in all probability misplaced 4 or 5 we should always have gained.”
Aaron Gordon scored 30 factors for Denver, and Jamal Murray had 25. Curry led Golden State with 30 factors. Klay Thompson added 24.
“Some are a bit of bit simpler to swallow than others,” Curry mentioned. “This one is certainly powerful.”
Nuggets ahead Peyton Watson mentioned Jokic’s confidence in himself helps the crew.
“He’s so poised and he by no means will get too excessive or too low,” Watson mentioned. “He’s an even-keel man. So for him to come back up massive in these massive moments and simply to indicate that he’s calm and poised, he calms everyone else.”
Golden State pulled away within the third quarter, outscoring Denver 44-24 after trailing by double-digits early within the half. The Warriors had a 19-6 halfway by the quarter, with Brandin Podziemski hitting three nook 3-pointers for a 107-94 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“I feel we simply didn’t wish to hand over,” Jokic mentioned. “We might simply have excuses simply to lose the sport or we have now a back-to-back tomorrow … However the guys didn’t drop their hats. We had been actually aggressive.”
The Nuggets took a 70-63 lead into halftime, taking pictures 62% from the sphere.
Malone mentioned he was most pleased with his crew responding down massive to the Warriors on the street.
“If you get right down to this crew, it’s very simply drop your head on this constructing with that crowd,” Malone mentioned. “And that’s in all probability the factor I used to be most happy with tonight is that everyone – coaches, gamers, we simply stayed the course even after that third quarter which they dominated.”
The Warriors had been with out Draymond Inexperienced, suspended indefinitely three weeks in the past, for the eleventh straight recreation. ESPN reported Thursday that Inexperienced was anticipated to return to the crew facility within the coming days in anticipation of a return, although coach Steve Kerr didn’t affirm the report earlier than the sport.
Golden State might be with out Gary Payton II for one more prolonged stretch due to a strained hamstring. The Warriors mentioned Patyon might be re-evaluated in three weeks.
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NEXT SCHEDULE
Nuggets: Host Orlando on Friday night time.
Warriors: Host Detroit on Friday night time.