Warriors look happy to be back home, beat Nuggets in possible playoff preview

SAN FRANCISCO Before Friday s meeting against the Nuggets Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained with only six games left in the regular season and playoff positioning still unsettled every night feels like a postseason meeting If that is the affair then Golden State made the affair that it was ready for a realizable playoff series with Denver when it romped over the Nuggets - at Chase Center Fresh off a six-game road trip that took them from Atlanta to Los Angeles over a two-week span the Warriors looked thrilled to be playing in their first home challenge since March Steph Curry scored points Nikola Jokic had points nine assists and rebounds Jimmy Butler put in and Brandin Podziemski scored The Warriors improved to - with the starting lineup of Curry Butler Draymond Green Moses Moody and Podziemski The Warriors - stayed the fifth seed in the Western Conference a competition in front of sixth-seeded Memphis - and the No seed Minnesota - in the standings Denver - remained the third seed Coming off a nationally televised showdown with the No seeded Lakers on Thursday night Golden State s defense looked sluggish to start Denver s offense was unstoppable in the first quarter piling up points and making of shots Whether it be Draymond Green Quinteen Post or Gui Santos three-time MVP Nikola Jokic turned them into defensive traffic cones on his way to points and three assists while Denver took a - lead He evidenced great chemistry with Archbishop Mitty legend Aaron Gordon who scored eight in the period and in the meeting mostly on cuts behind a Golden State defense focused on Jokic The encounter turned in the second quarter when Golden State began the period with a - run with Jokic on the bench Later in the second quarter Curry went on a tear He split a double association with a pump fake before knocked down a shot that left him shimmying in front of the Nuggets defense The Warriors were just getting started Related Articles Steph Curry Jimmy Butler to play in Warriors-Nuggets encounter Podziemski s big night for Warriors in win over Lakers could be sign of things to come Curry Podziemski go off power Warriors to thrilling win over LeBron-Doncic Lakers Gary Payton II Jonathan Kuminga near return to Warriors rotation Warriors Hield Grizzlies Morant receive warnings for gun-related gesture overview A minute later Jonathan Kuminga sliced baseline on a sharp cut that left the Nuggets in his wake and with a - Warriors lead on the Chase Center scoreboard Curry continued to keep the pressure on Denver in the closing minutes of the half making another deep triple and floating in a short shot to help give him a -point first half After going scoreless in the second quarter Jokic turned it up in the third pumping in more points But the Warriors offense continued to hum along Podziemski coming off a -point night in Los Angeles made a number of midrange jumpers on Friday night while also making four -pointers Leading - entering the fourth quarter Butler scored the first five points of the period to give Golden State a - lead The Warriors led by double-digits for the entire fourth quarter to close out the win The Warriors have a day off before playing host to second-seeded Houston - on Sunday