The battle on February 26 was in full swing Beijing time, and the Warriors and Nuggets had a fierce showdown on the court. In the first three quarters of the game, the Warriors followed closely behind like cheetahs, but unfortunately, in the decisive stage, the Nuggets opened up the score gap like a storm, and finally swallowed a painful defeat 103-119, as if the Nuggets had become an insurmountable heart rock for the Warriors.
In this battle, Curry, the soul of the Warriors, encountered a rare low. His shooting touch was like winter ice, hitting only 6 of his 19 shots from the field, like a bow and arrow that has lost its crosshairs. Curry, who usually led the team's offensive rhythm and led the scoring frenzy, lost his way in this crucial game, and his scoring firepower became a major crux of the Warriors' loss, you know, the previous winning streak was based on his continuous heroic performances.
However, while Curry's stars dimmed, Thompson shone like the brightest star in the night sky. In the first half, he was like an accurate sniper, hitting the target consistently and giving the team hope. Despite the gradual exhaustion of his physical strength in the second half, he persevered and scored 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting, like a beacon in the darkness that illuminated the way forward for the Warriors.
Kuminga and Wiggins also performed well, with consistent output to help the team. Kuminga shuttled through the court like a cunning rabbit, sometimes cutting to the basket in the air, sometimes attacking inside, and despite a slight hesitation in the crunch moment, the overall play remained tenacious, handing over a record of 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists on 5-of-10 shooting. Wiggins, on the other hand, glowed with a fiery touch in the second quarter, although he had limited opportunities to hold the ball, but with his steady shooting, he contributed 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists on 5-of-10 shooting, and impressed on both offensive and defensive ends.
Head coach Kerr's strategic decision has sparked skepticism and disappointment. He stubbornly continued to use a three-guard lineup, and against the Nuggets, who had obvious height advantages and excellent confrontation ability, this tactical layout was tantamount to exposing flaws to the opponent, and became a key factor in the Nuggets' turnaround. In addition, the failure to take full advantage of the two-forward duo of Kuminga and Wiggins had a significant impact on the game. Coach Kerr has been criticized for his stubbornness, but at the moment he has yet to find the key to the dilemma and is struggling to win recognition.
In addition, the Warriors were plagued by turnovers over the course of the game, accumulating a whopping 17 turnovers in the game, and these disconnected behaviors were like a self-brewing storm that prevented them from keeping up with the flowing pace of their opponents' offense. This negative impact is particularly evident in Paul's absence, further highlighting his importance in the running of the team.