The Warriors' five-game winning streak was snapped by the defending champion Nuggets 120-114 in Denver on Christmas Day. Jamal Murray (28) and Nikola Jokic (26) combined for 54 points for the Nuggets, while Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting.
Golden State Warriors Highlights vs. Denver Nuggets
Team Leaders
GSW
| Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Wiggins - 22 | Podziemski - 9 | Podziemski - 6 |
| Curry - 18 | Thompson - 6 | Curry - 4 |
| Saric - 14 | Saric/Kuminga - 5 | Paul - 3 |
DEN
| Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Murray - 28 | Jokic - 14 | Jokic - 8 |
| Jokic - 26 | Gordon - 10 | Caldwell-Pope - 5 |
| Porter Jr. - 19 | Porter Jr. - 10 | Three-tied - 3 |
FINDING THEIR SHOT
The Warriors overcame a 10-point first-quarter deficit to take the lead early in the second quarter, primarily due to their improved shooting efficiency. After starting 2-for-10 from the field, the Dubs made 11-of-18 field goal attempts during that stretch, capped by Chris Paul's second made 3-pointer. Paul joined Klay Thompson and Brandin Podziemski as Warriors to make multiple threes at that point, combining to miss just one 3-pointer for their six makes.
FINISHING THE HALF STRONG
The Warriors ended the first half on an 8-0 run to take a 54-53 lead into halftime. Andrew Wiggins' 3-pointer gave him a team-high 10 points, while Stephen Curry's splash and Kevon Looney's layup gave them their first field goals. Defensively, the Warriors were able to counteract Curry's offensive struggles, limiting Nikola Jokic to six points on 1-for-5 shooting. Wiggins finished the half with a game-high in plus-minus (+19).
PUTTING DENVER ON THE LINE
The Warriors limited their fouls in the first half but surrendered 17 free throw attempts to the Nuggets in the third quarter and Denver converted on 15 of those tries. Nikola Jokic made 10 of those free throws and would later set a career-high with 18 made free throws, the most ever for a player without a miss on Christmas Day.
Postgame Warriors Talks
- Now Playing
- Postgame Warriors Talk: Stephen Curry - 12/25/23
- Postgame Warriors Talk: Andrew Wiggins - 12/25/23
- Postgame Warriors Talk: Brandin Podziemski - 12/25/23
RARE COMPANY FOR THE ROOK
Brandin Podziemski became the first rookie this season to record at least five points (13), five rebounds (9), five assists (6) and five steals (5) in a game. Podziemski is the first Warrior to record at least 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals since Draymond Green on Oct. 25. 2016 and only three NBA rookies in the last 15 seasons have tallied those numbers or better (Demarcus Cousins and John Wall being the other too).
Brandin Podziemski with the great play!
UP NEXT
The Warriors return to Chase Center for a seven-game homestand, beginning against the Miami Heat on Thursday.
MORE NOTABLES:
- The loss snapped Golden State’s season-long tying five-game winning streak.
- The Warriors fell to 6-9 on the road and 15-15 overall.
- Golden State trails Denver 0-2 in the season series.
- The Warriors and Nuggets matchup twice more this season, on 1/4 and 2/25, with both games played at Chase Center.
- Golden State is 15-18 all-time on Christmas Day (8-5 at home, 4-13 on the road and 3-0 at neutral sites).
- The Warriors played in their 24th Clutch Game, a league leading mark… They are 12-12 in those games.
- Golden State reserves outscored Denver’s 57-15, marking the 25th time this season the Warriors bench has outscored their opponent’s reserves.
- The Warriors were outrebounded by the Nuggets, 43-39, snapping a streak of 12-straight games in which the Warriors outrebounded their opponent… Golden State lead the league in rebounding coming into today’s game (47.7).
- Today marked the Warriors 33rd Christmas Day game, the fifth most in NBA history.
- Today’s Warriors/Nuggets matchup marked the fifth time in NBA history that the last two NBA champions have faced each other on Christmas Day… The Warriors have been one of the teams in four of the five-such games.
- This marks the 11th consecutive season the Warriors have played on Christmas day, the longest streak in franchise history… They have played on Christmas in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
- Today marked the first time Golden State and Denver have played on Christmas Day.
- Andrew Wiggins posted his fourth game of 20-or-more points this season.
- He made a season-high six free throws (prev. five, three times).
- Jonathan Kuminga has scored in double-figures in in 11 of his last 12 games, including the last 10 consecutively, a career-best streak… He’s averaging 15.3 points per game over that 10-game span.
- Brandin Podziemski tallied his seventh game this season with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists, a mark that leads all rookies.
- He recorded a career-high five steals (prev. three, three times).
- Today marked his 16th game with at least five rebounds, including the last 12 consecutively, the longest-such streak by a Warriors rookie since Marc Jackson (2000-01).
- He became the first rookie to tally at least 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals in a game since Ben Simmons (11/15/17 at LAL).
- He became the first Warriors rookie to post such numbers in a game since Purvis Short (12/16/78 at SAS).
- Kevon Looney extended his combined games-played streak to 258 (regular season and playoffs), the second-longest active streak in the NBA (Mikal Bridges) and the seventh longest such-streak in franchise history… He extended his regular season games-played streak to 223, the ninth-longest streak in franchise history and the second-longest active streak in the NBA (Mikal Bridges).
- Denver’s Nikola Jokic made an opponent-season high 18 free throws (prev. 15, Kevin Durant, 11/22 at PHX)… He also recorded an opponent-season high 18 free throw attempts (prev. 17, DeAaron Fox, 11/28 at SAC).
Dub the Vote presented by Google Cloud gives you the power of picking this year’s All-Stars. Submit a new ballot every day until voting closes at 9 p.m. on January 20, 2024. » Vote Now