Simply amazing. The Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets engaged in a high-scoring back-and-forth game until the Warriors took a commanding lead in the final minutes of the third quarter. With six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Denver was down eighteen points, and that’s when Nikola Jokic helped them begin their comeback. Before Jokic won it in spectacular manner with a buzzer-beating three that nearly reached half court, the Nuggets had to fight all the way back. Strong efforts from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were countered by big games from Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray, leading to a 130-127 Denver victory.

The Nuggets didn’t play much defense in the beginning. The Warriors made a few three-pointers, though Thompson missed his initial effort, and were able to earn easy looks near the hoop. With over half of the quarter remaining, Golden State had extended their lead to nine points. Jokic then continued his absurdly efficient shooting streak and began to impose himself in the paint. As the quarter was coming to an end, Denver closed the gap to just a few baskets before the game became a bit careless. With just over a minute remaining, Jokic demonstrated his ability to get everything he wanted in the paint by leading Denver back to a one-point advantage before fouling out. The bench unit maintained its lead, and Denver led 34–33 at the end of the quarter.

The second quarter began with a trade of baskets between the two teams as the Nuggets bench continued to provide them with productive minutes. Before Denver’s starters checked back in, the Warriors briefly regained the lead. With six minutes remaining in the half, Denver was able to keep the game knotted despite Thompson’s increasing threat from three-point range. With a persistent offensive assault, the Nuggets’ starting lineup put pressure on opponents and regained the lead fast. The other of Denver’s players were all playing their roles to perfection, while Jokic was producing a halftime masterclass. To their credit, Golden State was closely trailing Curry. In a thrilling 70-63 game, the Nuggets extended their advantage to seven points at the half.