The Golden State Warriors survived a wild scoring roller coaster at Chase Center on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Denver Nuggets 128–117 in a nationally televised ABC showdown. Despite surrendering a massive third-quarter run that nearly erased a comfortable halftime lead, Golden State regrouped in the fourth quarter and held off a Nikola Jokić-powered Denver squad to improve to 30–27 on the season. The 18,064 fans in San Francisco were treated to the full range of emotions — a dominant first quarter, a Nuggets comeback, and a decisive Warriors response when it mattered most.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
Q1: Warriors 39, Nuggets 27
Golden State came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, posting an eye-opening 39 points in the first quarter. The Warriors’ ball movement was crisp from the opening tip, and their three-point shooting was on point early. Denver struggled to find their rhythm on the offensive end, committing mistakes that the Warriors converted into easy buckets in transition. The 12-point cushion felt like a statement from a Golden State team playing with purpose at home.
Q2: Nuggets 40, Warriors 37
Denver flipped the script in the second quarter, outscoring Golden State 40–37 — the highest-scoring quarter of the game for either team. Jokić began to assert himself in the post and as a playmaker, and the Nuggets found their offensive footing. Still, the Warriors maintained a 76–67 lead at halftime, which looked like a safe enough cushion heading into the break.
Q3: Nuggets 34, Warriors 19
The third quarter was where things got genuinely uncomfortable for the Warriors faithful. Denver unleashed a dominant 34–19 run that effectively wiped out nearly the entire halftime lead. Golden State’s offense stalled, their shot selection deteriorated, and Denver’s defense — anchored by Jokić’s awareness and three steals on the night — made life difficult. Heading into the fourth quarter, the game was essentially a one-possession contest, and the Nuggets appeared to have all the momentum.
Q4: Warriors 33, Nuggets 16
Golden State’s response in the fourth quarter was emphatic. The Warriors outscored Denver 33–16 over the final 12 minutes, reasserting their will and putting the game away with authority. The ball continued to move with Golden State’s characteristic efficiency, and their three-point shooting — 21-of-52 from deep on the night — came alive again at the right moment. Denver, who had erupted for 74 points in the middle two quarters combined, went ice cold when it mattered most, scoring just 16 in the final frame.
Key Performers
Brandin Podziemski — Golden State Warriors
The story of the night in a Warriors uniform belonged to Brandin Podziemski. The young guard recorded a near-triple-double that may be the best performance of his young NBA career: 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists — a stat line that led all Golden State players in rebounds, assists, and the team’s efficiency rating. Podziemski’s playmaking and rebounding were essential to controlling the tempo, and his nine assists — just one shy of a triple-double dime line — reflected how effectively he orchestrated Golden State’s offense. With 16 boards, he was a force on the glass in what was a tied 44–44 rebounding contest overall.
Moses Moody — Golden State Warriors
Moses Moody led all Warriors scorers with 23 points, providing a reliable offensive punch throughout the game. Moody’s scoring was particularly important as Golden State navigated the ebbs and flows of the contest, giving the team a dependable option when the offense needed a boost.
Nikola Jokić — Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić was, as always, the engine of everything Denver did. The reigning and multi-time MVP recorded a monster triple-double: 35 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists, adding 3 steals for good measure. It was a historic-level individual performance — 35-20-12 with three steals is the kind of stat line that belongs on a highlight reel for years. Jokić was the sole reason Denver stayed in this game and ultimately made it competitive. On a night when the Nuggets shot just 8-of-31 from three-point range (25.8%), Jokić’s ability to score at the rim and from mid-range, combined with his elite passing, was the only thing keeping Denver afloat. Despite his brilliance, he couldn’t overcome a cold fourth quarter from the rest of the roster.
Game Analysis
The box score tells the story of two very different styles of play colliding. Golden State shot an efficient 51.1% from the field and connected on 21 three-pointers at a 40.4% clip, while also racking up a remarkable 42 assists as a team — a number that speaks volumes about their ball movement philosophy. When the Warriors are sharing the basketball at that rate, they are extremely difficult to beat at home.
Denver, by contrast, struggled from deep. The Nuggets attempted 31 threes and made just 8 (25.8%), which is well below the efficiency threshold needed to beat a team shooting 40% from range. Their saving grace was getting to the free throw line — 29 attempts compared to Golden State’s 12 — converting 25 of those at an 86.2% rate. That aggressive approach kept the score closer than Golden State’s shooting efficiency might otherwise have allowed.
The third quarter remains the central mystery of this game. Golden State’s 19-point quarter was an alarming departure from the offensive fluidity they showed in every other period. Whether it was defensive adjustments from Denver head coach David Adelman or simply Golden State going cold, the Warriors’ ability to reset mentally and execute a 33–16 fourth quarter is a positive sign for a team still fighting for playoff positioning. The 42 assists as a team — compared to Denver’s 25 — ultimately tells you where the efficiency edge lived in this game.
Standings and Series Implications
With the win, the Golden State Warriors move to 30–27 on the season (19–11 at home, 11–16 on the road), keeping their postseason hopes very much alive as the playoff picture in the Western Conference continues to take shape. The Denver Nuggets fall to 36–22 — still a strong record and firmly in the top half of the West — but the road loss (they are 21–11 away from Ball Arena) is a minor blemish on an otherwise impressive campaign. Jokić’s triple-double was a reminder of just how dangerous Denver can be, even on the road, even in a loss. For the Warriors, this win represents the kind of resilient victory that can build confidence heading into the stretch run of the regular season. Expect both of these teams to be relevant when the postseason arrives.
