Despite 50 points from Aaron Gordon, the Golden State Warriors fought back from a 14-point deficit and defeated the Denver Nuggets in overtime to improve their record to 2-0. The Warriors will play again Friday night at home against the Portland Trail Blazers. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 42.
Golden State point guard Stephen Curry scored 42 points Thursday night as the Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 137-131, in overtime, at the Chase Center.
The Warriors improve their record to 2-0 and will face the Portland Trail Blazers at home Friday.
The Warriors earned the victory despite a tremendous effort from Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon who poured in 50 points. He drained 17-of-21 field goals and connected on 10 3-pointers. The 50 points scored by Gordon were the most points ever scored by a Nuggets player in a season opener.
Curry and Gordon exchanged big shots in the second half. It looked as if it were a two-player game for a few minutes.
"I don't necessarily look at it as a one on one type, back and forth battle. But it's more so the game called for us to kind of abandon any fancy play calls and just get to spots," Curry said on social media. "Whatever he did this summer, it worked."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr went with a smaller lineup and started Draymond Green at center and Jonathan Kuminga at power forward. Al Horford still played 29 minutes and scored 13 points and pulled down three rebounds.
When the chips were on the table, Kerr went with his jumbo lineup and played Green, Kuminga and Horford together late in the game. It was the first time the three played together, including practices. His assistant coaches made the recommendation and he went with along with it.
Kerr said it does not matter if Kuminga plays the three or the four, so long as the play is consistent.
The Nuggets were down 10-0 in the first quarter and then went on a run. They would carry the lead into the fourth quarter when Gordon quieted down and Curry did his most of his damage. With the Warriors trailing by double digits in the final quarter, Curry took over and scored 16 straight points for Golden State.
Denver had 13 turnovers and the Warriors scored 16 points off of those turnovers. The Warriors had 11 steals to eight for Denver.
"We had a lot of good performances tonight," Nuggets coach David Adelman said. "Just not enough to win the game."
Adelman also said he felt for Gordon and his having to take a loss on a night when he performed the way he did.
Butler nailed a three-pointer at the close of the overtime period to put the game away.