The Golden State took the win in Game 1 in the first round of the Western Conference playoff series against the Denver, as the Warriors' young and old guns outscored the Nuggets for a 123-107 victory.
With Jordan Poole playing point guard, that group outscored Denver 18-6 over the final minutes of the half, building an 11-point lead and electrifying the 18,064 attendees at Chase Center.
Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr said that, with the returning Steph Curry, Poole, as guards, and Draymond Green, at the center position, they had a good lineup that generated "a lot of floor spacing," per NBC Sports.
A Special Game
Klay Thompson said the game was "so special" for being back in the playoffs with his old teammates that won three championships for the franchise.
"Something I won't take for granted, just being able to play playoff basketball. It was very surreal for me," Thompson said.
Veterans Green and Andre Iguodala played tremendous defense against the Nuggets' star players. Curry started the game chilly from the field, scoring 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting in 22 minutes, but finished the game with a plus-17, as per CBS Sports.
Throughout the first 20 minutes, the teams stayed within six points of each other. The warmth in the building shifted when Poole walked in. To finish the half, he scored six points in 23 seconds, followed by a layup and a 3-ball from Thompson, five points from Curry, and two from Wiggins.
In the second half, the Nuggets never moved closer than eight points, and in the fourth quarter, they never got closer than 16.
The Warriors' first playoff game this season saw the second time in 10 years that Stephen Curry came off the bench. The decision came a few minutes before tip-off.
According to Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, he decided to prevent having his superstar guard sit for extended stretches. He revealed that the plan is to have Curry play the last five to six minutes of every quarter instead of having him play the regular rotation for him each game, Fan Nation reported.
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Will Steph Curry Return to the Warriors' Starting Line-Up in Game 2?
It was Curry's comeback since he was sidelined for almost one month. It was an adjustment for him, but he got warmed up as the game went on.
Kerr admitted that it is going to be a tough decision to replace Jordan Poole as a starter when Curry gets fully ready to return to the Warriors' starting lineup.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Kerr said.
He disclosed that Curry had a great time in his return to action, which was apparent in the two-time MVP's post-game interview.
Curry said that he had lost the "anxiousness" during the game due to the huge lead, but he reminded himself that it is now the playoffs where each possession counts.
"I started pointing at the scoreboard, trying to get everybody hype, knowing that you've got to build on that momentum every game to create that home-court advantage," the Warriors superstar guard said.
When asked if he expects to keep Steph off the bench for Game 2 and even beyond, Kerr said he'll consult with the medical team to see what's best for the one half of the Splash Brothers.
The Warriors and Nuggets will clash again for Game 2 in Golden State on Monday night.
