SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 14 points in the season opener to take a 27-point lead. In the season opener Denver his Nuggets suffered a shock upset loss to the Utah Jazz, losing by 21 points.
Not surprisingly, Friday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center saw the Warriors fall into a pit in the first half, trailing them by 18 points when they returned to the locker room at halftime. It’s gone. Then came the Warriors in the 3rd quarter and scored 36 points to make it his 10-point game going into the 4th quarter.
The Warriors outscored the Nuggets by 13 points in the second half and fought until the final buzzer, but it wasn’t enough. Simply put, the Warriors’ 128-123 loss to Denver came too little and too late.
Allowing 40 points in the first quarter makes that possible. So are sloppy defense, early foul trouble, and wacky early-season rotations.
Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins did everything they could to beat the Warriors. Curry he led with 34 points, hit five 3s, had five rebounds and he added four assists. Wiggins always found a way to make an impact with his team-high 23 points and his eight rebounds and looked like the best player on the floor.
These two teams will undoubtedly lead the Western Conference standings all season long. Last season, the Warriors were regulars against the Nuggets in his season, where he went 1-3, but he won 5 games over the Nuggets to start the postseason. The first game of the season is the Nuggets.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ crushing loss in the second game of the season.
Draymond influence
Draymond Green came out of the gate full of energy. He was picking up the pace, setting up his teammates and playing lockdown defense. And then he had to go to the bench.
The scores were all tied at 20 points when Green was forced to sit out in the first quarter thanks to two fouls. He did not return until his 6:40 mark in the second quarter, and the Warriors lost him 52-41. He was easily their best player low in the first half, and the Warriors were minus 17 with him out in his first two frames.
Steve Kerr said he wanted more minutes for Green before the game, and Draymond played 27. His team needed a little more.
He did it all for them, scoring 13 points with 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. He finished with a plus-13 to lead the Warriors.
However, those early fouls came at a cost.
Struggling second unit
Depth was a buzzword during the preseason, following the Warriors in Game 1.
With Green and Kevon Looney in foul trouble, Kerr had to resort to a second unit sooner than expected. They didn’t get any benefit. Both teams’ benches were on completely different planets in the first half.
The Warriors’ bench of Jordan Poole, Jamaican Green, Donte DiVincenzo, James Weisman and Jonathan Cuminga totaled minus 61 through the second quarter. Moses Moody kept a clean sheet in the first half.
Conversely, Denver’s bench has fared well for Golden State. In the first half, five Nuggets players plus 58. It’s a little better than the reigning champion.
In the end, the Warriors’ bench was minus 67. The Nuggets’ reserves were plus 63.
where’s the pool party?
Through the regular season and playoffs, Poole was the Warriors’ second-best offensive player. Not so far because the sample size is very small.
Against the Lakers, Poole scored 12 points and missed the next seven after the first two 3-point attempts. What was strange about the Nuggets was how reluctant he was. Poole did not attack the basket and did not shoot from the outside.
He played 27 minutes, but Poole scored only 7 points, 3 of which were free throws. He attempted only five of his shots and missed two of his 3-pointers. He’s a bucket getter, but not this time.
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He hesitated too much. Poole is determined and best when you can feel his swagger from the upper deck. The Warriors need young stars to find their confidence and play with it every game.
