The Warriors had every excuse to be run out of the gym Monday night, but remarkably kept pace with the host Denver Nuggets most of the night.
In the end, even a 30-point effort from 19-year-old rookie Moses Moody wasn’t enough in a 131-124 loss to the Nuggets.
The loss, the Warriors’ ninth, in 11 games, dropped their record to 43-22 and the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference. Denver, streaking in the other direction, wins for the 10th time in 11 games and is 39-26 and is No. 6.
Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 32 points, with Moody scoring the most points in franchise history for a teenager and Jonathan Kuminga, another 19-year-old, adding 16.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists. Jeff Green had 18 points and Davon Green 17 for Denver.
The Warriors suited up only nine players, going to Denver and its mile high altitude without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II. Then before game time, coach Steve Kerr said Otto Porter Jr. had taken ill and wouldn’t play either.
That left the Warriors with a starting lineup of Poole, Moody, Kevan Looney, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee with Kuminga, Chris Chiozza and Nemanja Bjelica in reserve.
The third quarter found the Warriors down just 104-101 despite a 25-7 run by Denver which appeared to put the game under its control. Down 102-88, the Warriors closed out the quarter with a 13-2 run.
At halftime, Denver was shooting 62 percent but the Warriors played so well offensively they trailed only 71-69. The Warriors hit 11 of 21 3-point shots.
Moody had 22 points at halftime, with Kuminga scoring 12 and Poole 11.
For Denver, Jokic had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while taking only eight shots. Davon Reed also had 14 for the Nuggets.
The Warriors played well at the outset and were tied 20-20 with 4:57 left in the first quarter, but Denver began getting to the rim easy and often. By the time the quarter was over, the Warriors trailed 40-31 and nine different Nuggets had scored. Moody led the Warriors with 15 first-quarter points including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.
