Nuggets at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors only needed to work on a few things over the last handful of games, among them getting Klay Thompson back in rhythm. It’s safe to say the All-Star guard found his groove, and the Warriors will just try to stay healthy when they close out the regular season by hosting the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
Thompson exploded for 26 points in the second quarter of a 111-107 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday and finished with 42 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter along with the rest of the starters. Golden State long ago locked up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, but coach Steve Kerr has kept his starters sharp on limited minutes and Thompson and Stephen Curry are peaking at the right time. The Nuggets will not be part of the playoff party and could not play spoiler against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. “Obviously, we are not playing for anything right now, but we still want to continue to get better individually and as a team,” forward Wilson Chandler told the Denver Post. “I think it’s important to go out strong and just play hard to continue to get better.”
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (30-51): Denver is counting on individual performances as the season winds down and Chandler erupted for 32 points in the 110-103 loss at Los Angeles on Monday. “Wilson Chandler was incredible,” interim coach Melvin Hunt told reporters. “I tried to help create more good looks for him, and my guys played really hard against a very good team.” Chandler, Kenneth Faried and Danilo Gallinari have taken turns putting up big numbers of late, but the Nuggets are just 4-10 in their last 14 games.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (66-15): Thompson, who set an NBA record with 37 points in a quarter against Sacramento earlier this season, went 10-of-13 from the field in the second quarter on Monday but Kerr was upset that the team began to force shots for the shooting guard. “They were so frantically trying to get the ball to Klay,” Kerr told reporters. “That's the perfect time to get somebody else a layup because the defense is swarming around Klay.” Thompson battled a shooting slump and was held to single digits in back-to-back road losses before averaging 30.3 points over the last three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have taken two of the three meetings this season, including a 122-79 home win on Jan. 19.
2. Faried is averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds in the last four games.
3. Golden State is trying to become one of 10 teams in NBA history to reach 67 wins.