In what was perhaps the best game of the 2023-24 NBA season, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets stole one away from Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors Thursday night with an epic fourth-quarter comeback.
Down 18 points with under seven minutes left in regulation, the Nuggets closed the game on a 25-3 run capped off by Jokic’s game-winner off the glass to stun the Warriors, 130-127. Golden State did not score in the final two minutes of the game.
Most of the headlines will focus on Jokic’s shot and his innate ability to show up in clutch moments, though plenty have pivoted the conversation to Curry’s lack of performance at the end of games. The two-time MVP – who is still undoubtedly the Warriors’ best player – shot 2-for-7 from the field in the fourth quarter, but his mistake on Golden State’s final possession of the game is what has people talking.
With the game tied at 127 with 13 seconds on the clock, Curry had the ball in his hands and most assumed he would take the potential go-ahead shot (a two-second difference on the shot clock would give the Nuggets an offensive opportunity if they gained possession).
Instead, Denver did a great job containing Curry and in an attempt to make a play, the Warriors star flung a pass from the wing intended to reach Andrew Wiggins in the opposite corner. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray read it perfectly and secured the turnover, giving Denver the ball and the final shot. We know how that went.
Curry’s curious decision
Just looking at the numbers, Stephen Curry had a solid game on Thursday. He knocked down five 3-pointers and led the Warriors with 30 points, adding six assists and four rebounds.
He protected the ball as well, for the most part, only turning it over twice. That second one ultimately ended up costing Golden State the game, though it would be much less of a story had Jokic’s last-second heave not gone in and the Warriors hung on for the win.
That’s not the case though and plenty of NBA fans were quick to call out Curry for his late-game blunder.
The loss continues a tough spell for the Warriors since Christmas. They’ve lost four of their last five games after winning five straight and are currently outside of the Western Conference playoff picture, sitting in 11th with a 16-18 record.
Internal distractions and the spotlight that constantly surrounds the Warriors are no excuse for this level of play. Sometimes coaches can live with losing, especially when it’s on a circus bank shot like Jokic’s. It’s hard to imagine Steve Kerr and the Warriors being ok with this loss considering the lead they had and Curry’s costly turnover.
Much has been said about the end of the Warriors dynasty this season. With Draymond Green’s latest suspension, Klay Thompson’s impending free agency and Golden State’s current record, it’s easy to see why.
Stephen Curry isn’t ready for the twilight stage of his career where he’s playing for a non-contending Warriors team. If that’s the case, he needs to avoid significant mistakes in the clutch moments of games.