Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER — The Warriors cut a double-figure deficit late in the fourth quarter to pull within two of the Denver Nuggets Sunday evening, but their late rally fell short as they lost 112-110.
Klay Thompson hit a corner 3 to make it a two-point game with 20 seconds left.
After the Nuggets inbounded the ball, the Warriors smothered Bruce Brown near half-court, forcing a jump ball. Golden State won the tip with 10 seconds left.
Thompson missed a shot from the top of the key. He got a rebound and ran it back with a similar shot, but Jamal Murray got a hand on it and time expired.
Thompson and Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 25 and 21 points, respectively, but they went a combined 7-for-30 from deep.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets were without MVP candidate Nikola Jokic for the third straight game as he deals with right calf tightness. But Murray’s 26 points and game-sealing block as well as 29 points and 4 3-pointers from Michal Porter Jr. helped West-leading Denver win its 52nd game of the season.
The Warriors went up by as many as 15 points in the second quarter. Thompson hit a 14 footer with 4:13 left in the first half to put Golden State ahead 56-44. The Nuggets would go on to close out the half with a 14-5 run to trim the visitors’ lead to three at the break.
Murray fed Aaron Gordon who dunked over Draymond Green to knot the game up at 71 at the 7:21 mark of the third. It was the first time the Nuggets had evened the score with the Warriors since early in the first.
Green got into it with Nuggets fans sitting in the baseline before heading to the huddle. The fan was temporarily escorted out by arena security before returning to his seats, receiving an applause from fellow fans in that area.
Moments later, coach Steve Kerr was assessed a technical for arguing a non-call after Jordan Poole believed he got fouled on a drive to the rim. Jamal Murray made the free throw to tie the game at 74.
Leading by two at the end of the third, the Nuggets started to run away with the game in the fourth. Jordan Poole picked up his 12th technical foul of the season at the 3:58 mark of the final quarter.
The Warriors didn’t go down without a fight, though. They were down 12 with 3:22, but went on a 9-2 run to make it a five-point game with 58 seconds left.
Neither team shot the 3-ball well. The Nuggets went 9-for-33 from beyond the arc, while the Warriors went 9-for-42 from distance.
The Warriors are now 9-30 on the road this season and share the same 41-38 overall record as the Los Angeles Clippers. Golden State is sixth in the Western Conference standings and the Clippers are fifth; both are two games back from the fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns and only a half game out of the dreaded play-in tournament.
The Warriors will play their final home game Tuesday against the Oklahoma Thunder before closing out the regular season in Sacramento and Portland.
Originally published at Madeline Kenney