SAN FRANCISCO — A dominant defensive effort has the Golden State Warriors in control, leading the Denver Nuggets 44-34 at halftime on Monday night at Chase Center.
The Warriors established their tempo early, edging the first quarter 28-23 behind an efficient 14-point half from Kristaps Porziņģis. The second quarter, however, was defined by a complete defensive lockdown from the hosts. Golden State held the high-powered Nuggets to a mere 11 points on 5-of-23 shooting from the field, stifling Denver’s rhythm with aggressive perimeter defense and physical play inside.
A key 14-0 Warriors run spanning the end of the first and start of the second quarters broke open what was a tight game. While Jamal Murray (9 points, 5 rebounds) provided some early offense for Denver, two-time MVP Nikola Jokić was held to a quiet 7 points on 3-of-9 shooting, a testament to the Warriors’ swarming game plan.
Golden State’s offensive production was well-distributed. Beyond Porziņģis, Draymond Green facilitated with 10 points and 4 assists, while defensive specialist Gary Payton II chipped in an impactful 9 points.
The Nuggets, facing a double-digit deficit, must solve Golden State’s defensive puzzles and rediscover their offensive flow to mount a second-half comeback.
