After allowing the New York Knicks to score 125 points in a loss and allowing the Minnesota Timberwolves (106 points) to somehow win at the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets finally clamped down against a lowly opponent, blowing out the Golden State Warriors 135-107 on Tuesday night.
The Warriors appeared to be a dangerous opponent for Denver because of their rapid pace of play and their eagerness to put up a lot of shots.
But the Nuggets (13-5) finally strung together quarters of quality defense. The result was a 107-84 lead after three quarters and a chance for rookie Ty Lawson and other reserves to get some work.
In those three quarters, with main-rotation players on the floor for both teams, the Warriors shot 44.4 percent, including 5-for-18 (27.8 percent) from 3-point range, and never put up much of a fight after the first quarter.
Golden State guard Monta Ellis entered Tuesday as “the hottest player in the NBA,” according to Denver coach George Karl, thanks in part to a 45-point game Monday night. But Ellis shot only 4-for-10 against Denver’s quick perimeter defense, finishing with 15 points and two assists.
Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony, the NBA’s top scorer at 31 points per game, scored 25. It was the 15th consecutive game against Golden State he scored at least 25 points.
After those three significant quarters, the Nuggets were shooting a sparkling 54.9 percent, even more impressive because they were just 3-for-12 from 3-point range.
The run-and-gun Warriors (6-11) have battled the injury bug all season (even coach Don Nelson was out, with pneumonia). And without some key players, the Warriors were overmatched all night, notably in the paint.
