Frustrations boiled over for the Nuggets as Will Barton and DeMarcus Cousins got into a heated exchange on the bench during the team’s Game 2 playoff loss to the Warriors on Monday night.
During a timeout midway through the third quarter with Denver trailing by 10, Barton and Cousins began a heated exchange as the team was walking to the bench. The two players had to be separated and continued to jaw back-and-forth with one another during the break in the action.
After the Nuggets fell to the Warriors in blowout fashion, 126–106, coach Michael Malone did his best to dismiss the spat, attributing the incident to general frustration about the team’s performance.
“Without getting into any details, no one wants to get embarrassed,” Malone said postgame, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “No one wants to get their ass kicked on national TV … I think it’s just frustration. DeMarcus, Will, our whole team, we have a close team so we just have to iron those things out.”
Denver’s exasperation mounted after leading by as many as 12 points in the second quarter of Monday’s Game 2. Golden State would respond with a 16–0 run before the end of the half before continuing to stretch their lead to double digits in the third quarter.
The exchange between Barton and Cousins was just one example of the growing frustration among the Nuggets. MVP candidate Nikola Jokic was ejected in the fourth quarter on Monday after receiving his second technical foul of the night. He finished the game 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting and 11 rebounds.
The first round series will now swing back to Denver, with the No. 6 Nuggets trailing the No. 3 Warriors 2–0. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.
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