Watch: Steph Curry misses game-tying layup as Warriors fall to Nuggets
The Golden State Warriors lost to the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 8 in a tightly fought contest that came down to the final possession. The ball was in Steph Curry's hands, just as it was against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Warriors cleared out to give their superstar guard room to isolate.
Curry went into his dribble package, got his man to bite, and darted through the lane. He put up a high floating shot, attempting to kiss the ball in off the glass. However, he was unable to get the soft release he was looking for. The shot missed as the clock ran down. Golden State then fouled, sending the Nuggets back to the line, with Denver securing its eighth win of the season.
There are a lot of similarities between how Curry took his shot against the Nuggets to the shot he took and scored against the Thunder. However, Denver's defense has more length to it. Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon both rotated over and were present as Curry released his layup. That type of defensive pressure is enough to speed anyone up. It's enough to change the shot release and alter the force of the shot as well.
Curry has been exceptional to begin the new season. The missed shot against the Nuggets down the stretch would have been his second game-winner this season. Third if you count the game against the Sacramento Kings in preseason. He also ended the contest with 23 points. It wasn't a bad performance from the superstar guard, just a tough ending.
Golden State Warriors look strong to begin new season
The Golden State Warriors are 6-3 after their loss to the Denver Nuggets. They currently sit second in the Western Conference after nine games. The addition of Chris Paul has helped uplift their bench unit. Steph Curry has been at an MVP level, while Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have both been excellent defensively.
A loss to the Nuggets will hurt Steve Kerr's team. It will also give them some additional film to try and find cracks in the current champion's armor and system. Any team looking to make it out of the Western Conference finals will likely have to go through Denver. Still, Golden State fell to a Nuggets team that was without their star point guard.
Denver's strength in depth is impressive. It's also concerning for other teams in their conference. Nevertheless, Curry will need to bounce back from his missed layup. The Warriors are talented enough to continue winning games at a decent pace and keeping in touch with their conference rivals. It's an 82-game season, so one loss – regardless of how hard it is to stomach – will likely not define their season.