The Denver Nuggets’ 116–93 win over the Golden State Warriors turned on a simple shift that showed up immediately after halftime.
“You have to at least give the effort to the game plan,” head coach David Adelman said postgame.
Denver followed that directly. After allowing 53 points in the first half, the Nuggets held the Warriors to just 40 after the break, including a decisive third quarter where Golden State went 0-for-13 from three.
Second-half defense backed up the message
The first half exposed familiar problems. Denver lost cutters, overhelped defensively, and gave up open looks that allowed Golden State to stay in rhythm.
That disappeared in the second half.
“Second half was much better… intensity, energy,” Nikola Jokic said.
Denver increased ball pressure, stayed attached to shooters, and forced 15 total turnovers, turning those into 22 points. The shift in execution changed the flow of the game within a single quarter.
Jokic controlled the turning point
Jokic’s overall line reflected that control. He finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, but the impact came in the third quarter as Denver flipped the game.
“We just found a way to win,” he added.
Jamal Murray supported that stretch with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, recovering from a first half where all of his turnovers came before the break.
Role players reinforced the defensive shift
The change was not limited to the starters.
“We were more physical, stopped turning the ball over, and didn’t give up backdoor cuts,” Bruce Brown said postgame.
Denver’s defensive units tightened across the floor, with players like Zeke Nnaji and Peyton Watson helping manage switches and recover quicker on the perimeter.
The result was a Warriors team that scored just 19 points in the fourth quarter and never regained its first-half rhythm.
Performance gives Denver a clear reference point
“Take the challenge… look yourself in the mirror,” Tim Hardaway Jr said.
That standard showed in the second half numbers. Denver combined efficient shooting with defensive control, finishing the game shooting 50 percent from the field and 47.5 percent from three.
The Nuggets have shown this level before in stretches. This game provided a full example of it over two quarters.
The question now is whether that level holds.
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