Dominant second quarter leads Warriors to victory in Denver

If basketball is a game of runs, the Warriors have managed to use them time and time again to their advantage. After a back-and-forth first quarter saw Golden State in a two-point hole headed to the second, the Warriors offense erupted for 39 points while holding Denver to just 18, leading the Dubs to a 128-114 in the Mile High City on Tuesday night.

Stephen Curry led the Warrior attack, scoring 36 points to go along with four rebounds and six assists, while nailing four three-point field goals. Jaylen Brown added 23 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Golden State while six players scored in double-figures, including three off the bench.

Midway through the second quarter, a Nikola Jokic (21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists) layup gave Denver a two-point lead with 5:04 to play. Brown responded, bottoming a contested pull-up three on the opposite end, sparking a 13-0 run. Through the remainder of the second quarter, Golden State allowed just six points while pouring in 27 of their own in building a 19-point halftime lead.

Golden State was able to control the pacing throughout the second half, building the lead to as many as 22 points while never allowing the Nuggets to get within striking distance. Denver appeared to be putting together a run late in the third quarter, as Mason Plumlee and Jamal Murray combined for a 5-0 run to end the frame and bring the deficit to within nine entering the fourth. Plumlee pulled the Nuggets closer with a free throw, making it an eight-point game, but Ky Bowman, who had 15 points off the bench, bottomed a wide-open triple in transition followed by an uncontested layup returned the lead to 13, and Golden State never looked back.

Bowman was the leading-scorer off the bench while Eric Paschall and Kris Dunn added 12 points a piece. Ed Davis enjoyed a dominant performance underneath, pulling in 16 rebounds while scoring 12 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting night.

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The Warriors welcome the Toronto Raptors to Chase Center in a rematch of the 2019 NBA Finals on Thursday.

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