ICYMI: Denver Nuggets players get into an altercation with each other during a timeout as Golden State Warriors frustrate Michael Malone’s men
The Denver Nuggets endured another rough outing in their 2022 NBA Playoffs first-round series against the Golden State Warriors on Monday (April 18). The Nuggets suffered a 106-126 blowout loss in a game where they were thoroughly dominated, especially in the second half.
Frustrations boiled over on the Nuggets bench during a timeout in the third quarter. Backup center DeMarcus Cousins and veteran guard Will Barton got into a verbal altercation as their teammates tried to step in and make peace between the two. Here's a clip of the incident (via Warriors on NBCS):
The Dubs have the Nuggets frustrated 😲 https://t.co/AjYXr42wJm
The Golden State Warriors stretched their nine-point advantage at the start of the second half to 22 at one stage, which took the game away from the Nuggets' grasp. This seemingly led to the tension seen amongst their players on the bench.
The Warriors deployed their 'death' lineup early on with Steph Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins all on the floor. It worked wonders as the Denver Nuggets had no answer offensively or defensively to Golden State's on-court firepower.
Denver Nuggets' defeat against Golden State Warriors marks their sixth straight playoff loss
The Denver Nuggets desperately need some star power back in their lineup. They have now endured six straight playoff losses and Nikola Jokic alone has been unable to prevent them from bleeding.
The Nuggets are without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., which has impacted their results so far in the postseason.
Joker was assessed a technical foul after slamming the basketball https://t.co/ZGIuOVdp2p
The role players just haven't been consistent enough, which was always a concern with respect to their chances of doing well in the playoffs this year. Additionally, Jokic has been limited to 51 points on 45 shots across the first two games by the Golden State Warriors defense, led by Draymond Green.
Golden State has frustrated the "Joker" to a point where he was even ejected in Game 2 during the fourth quarter. The referee decided against calling Green for a foul on the Nuggets star, which Jokic vehemently appealed before being sent out.
With Steph Curry back, the Golden State Warriors are looking like an unstoppable force right now. Additionally, the Denver Nuggets seem to be having issues within their locker room and it won't be surprising to see Steve Kerr's men win the series by a 4-0 margin.
They cannot get complacent just yet, though, as the next two matches of the series are on the road. The Nuggets will look to throw everything they can at the Warriors and avoid a second consecutive playoff series sweep. Consequently, Games 3 and 4 of the series promise to be enticing affairs.