Nikola Jokic banked in a buzzer-beating 39-footer as time expired Thursday night, capping a 25-4 Denver Nuggets finish that produced a shocking 130-127 victory over the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
The winning sequence began after a Nuggets timeout in the backcourt, leaving them 70 feet from the hoop with just 3.6 seconds to go.
The inbounds pass went to Jokic near midcourt. Under heavy pressure from Warriors big man Kevon Looney, the reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player launched a high-arcing shot that caromed off the backboard and into the hoop.
Jokic finished a 34-point night and capped a rally from a 123-105 deficit over the final 6:34. Aaron Gordon had nine of his 30 points in a 13-0 run that got the comeback rolling.
After Jokic tied the score on a short jumper with 26 seconds left, the Warriors appeared to have the opportunity to take the last shot. But Stephen Curry threw a wild pass that the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray captured.
In a matchup of the last two NBA champions, Jokic also found time for nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Murray chipped in with 25 points and Peyton Watson had 19 for the Nuggets, who won for the eighth time in their last nine games.
Curry shot 11-for-23 with five 3-pointers en route to a team-high 30 points, while Klay Thompson went 9-for-18 with four treys on a 24-point night for the Warriors, who like the Nuggets, were playing the front end of a back-to-back.
The Warriors host the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, while the Nuggets return home to take on the Orlando Magic.
Jonathan Kuminga had 16 points, Brandin Podziemski and Dario Saric added 13 apiece and Andrew Wiggins scored 11 for the Warriors, who lost despite outscoring the visitors 45-21 on 3-pointers.
Saric also added seven rebounds and six assists.
–Field Level Media
