Fourth Quarter Splash Lifts Warriors Over Nuggets in Preseason Opener

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The Warriors opened their 2020 preseason with a 107-105 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night at Chase Center.

For the Warriors, it was their first game in 277 days, and it hardly resembled that game against the Clippers on March 10. The Warriors, with eight players currently on the roster who played elsewhere last season, played this game with the stands virtually empty as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.

But one thing that may have looked familiar was the Warriors’ style of play. They attempted to push the pace every chance they had, and they weren’t shy when it came to launching the three ball either. Nine of the Warriors’ first 10 shots were 3-pointers, and that happened less than five minutes into the game.

Mychal Mulder made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and he combined with Damion Lee and Jordan Poole combined to make their first six 3-point attempts. Andrew Wiggins made his first two 3-point attempts and Stephen Curry also added a pair of treys for the Dubs, who shot 11-for-39 from distance for the game.

TEAM LEADERS

GSW
Points	Rebounds	Assists
Bazemore – 13	Paschall – 7	Curry – 3
Lee – 12	Looney – 6	Paschall – 3
4 Tied – 10	Bazemore – 5	2 Tied – 3

DEN
Points	Rebounds	Assists
Jokic – 26	Jokic – 10	Jokic – 5
Harris – 11	Murray – 8	Murray – 4
Morris – 10	Porter – 7	2 Tied – 3

A Warrior again, Kent Bazemore attacked the basket in transition and finished with a team-high 13 points. Lee added 12 points and Poole, Mulder, Curry and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 10 points.

The Warriors, who led by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, but Denver rallied down the stretch and had a chance to win it with a last second shot, but their 3-point shot rimmed out and the Warriors held on for the win in the preseason opener.

Only two exhibition games in Sacramento next week separate the Dubs from their regular season opener on Dec. 22 in Brooklyn.

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Despite the final outcome, the Warriors did produce notable individual results on the night.

tic-tac-toe

@NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/4zLf0u62IR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 11, 2020

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More Notables …

Golden State improved to 8-25 at home this season, snapping a season-long 10-game home losing streak (third-longest in franchise history), prior to tonight, the Warriors last home win came on January 18, 2020 vs. Orlando (109-95).

The Warriors have won seven out of their last eight home games against the Sixers.

Golden State trailed by 10-or-more points and went on to win for the sixth time this season.

The Warriors made a season-high 55.0 percent of their shots from the field (previous:53.5 on 12/6 vs. CHI)… They improved to 4-2 this season when shooting 50 percent-or-better from the field.

Golden State dished out 30-plus assists for the 14th time this season, improving to 8-6 in those games.

The Warriors committed a season-low-tying seven turnovers (previous: seven on 2/5 vs. BKN).

Golden State recorded its 376th consecutive sellout.

Damian Lee tallied a game-high-tying 24 points (10-17 FG, 3-8 3P, 1-1 FT), six rebounds and three assists… Tonight marked his 11th 20-point game of the season and first career-time scoring 20-plus points in consecutive games.

Eric Paschall scored 23 points (8-12 FG, 7-7 FT), his 13th 20-point game of the season, fourth in the last five games… He also had three rebounds and six assists off the bench… Over the span of his last 10 games he is averaging 17.5 points on 59.5 percent shooting from the field… His seven made free throws are one shy of a career-high mark (eight, done four times).

Marquese Chriss recorded his third double-double in the last four games, and his eighth of the season with 13 points and game-high-tying 10 rebounds (10th game of 10-plus rebounds this season)… Chriss dished out a career-high eight assists… Over the span of his last four games he is averaging 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds on 58.1 percent shooting from the field.

Mychal Mulder scored a career-high 18 points and has recorded 10-or-more points in four of his six games with the Warriors… Both his trips to the line (six) and made free throws (five) were career-highs.