Warriors Game Day: Sights & Sounds From Pepsi Center In Denver – Golden State’s Meaningless Game Against Nuggets May Prove Meaningful In Playoffs (Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via AP/Yahoo)
PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO — It was a so-called meaningless game against the Denver Nuggets, but after Harrison Barnes scored a career-high 29 points, Jordan Crawford 41 points, and Steve Blake 15 assists and 7 steals, this might just be the confidence-boost that the bench needed heading into the playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers.
PRE-GAME
The Golden State Warriors started the night, after not practicing the previous day while traveling to Denver after the win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the second of a back-to-back, by announcing that only six players were expected to play.
Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and David Lee would all sit, while the injured Andrew Bogut and the 17-year-veteran Jermaine O’Neal didn’t even make the trip. Klay Thompson would get the start after talking with Coach Mark Jackson, but the intention was to rest Draymond Green.
Ognjen Kuzmic and Nemanja Nedovic were both recalled from the D-League Santa Cruz Warriors, but Nedovic also didn’t make the trip due to an injured calf.
The starters for tonight’s game would be announced as Steve Blake, Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Marreese Speights and Hilton Armstrong.
IN-GAME
The Warriors got off to a fast start, thanks in part to the Nuggets doing what the Dubs have done so frequently this year: play down to their competition.
Speights and Barnes were hitting their shots and after one period of play, it was Warriors 36, Nuggets 27.
Early in the second quarter, we saw a return of the #BlackFalcon:
The team continued to play well, especially with Jordan Crawford providing a spark off the bench. At halftime, the Warriors led 66-52, although the topic of Curry’s plaid jacket was generously discussed online and on the air.
By the end of the third quarter, Barnes had already eclipsed his previous career high (22 points) with 26, while Crawford led the way with 29 points. It was Warriors 88, Nuggets 80.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder dispatching the lowly Detroit Pistons, the first round matchup of the playoffs between the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers was set.
Crawford would be far from finished as he eventually tallied 41 points while Barnes added 29 to help the Warriors win, 116-112. However, it was Green’s tip-in of Barnes’s late missed free throw, which made the score 113-108 with seconds remaining, that was the final nail in the coffin.
Green was not expected to play, but was called to action after both Speights and Hilton Armstrong fouled out.
POST-GAME
One of the less-ballyhooed developments this season was the progression of Thompson. Oh, and of course, the obligatory meme involving Curry’s plaid jacket.
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