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Sunday, Apr. 9 9:00pm ET
Warriors scored season-high 41 in 1st quarter | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Every time Denver tried to tighten its defense, Larry Hughes found a way around it. Hughes broke loose for a career-high 44 points and the depleted Golden State Warriors scored a season-high 41 in the first quarter en route to a 117-103 victory Sunday night over the Nuggets.
"The defense was there but I felt like I was getting to where I wanted," said Hughes, who made 16 of 29 shots from the field and 11 of 15 free throws. "Even when I missed shots, I know what I'm doing wrong. This is the best shape I've been in for a long time. I can play 48 minutes." Adonal Foyle added a career-high 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Mark Davis had 17 points for the Warriors, who snapped an 11-game losing streak and a season-high nine-game skid at home. "They got off to a great start and we got off to a slow start," Denver's George McCloud said. "Hughes had it going and they were hungry for a win." Golden State had just nine players in uniform, with Donyell Marshall (left knee tendinitis), Billy Owens (right knee inflammation) and Erick Dampier (right wrist sprain) sidelined with injuries. The Nuggets lost coach Dan Issel and Nick Van Exel when both picked up their second technical fouls with 2:02 left, resulting in automatic ejections. Both were unhappy over the officiating, which sent Golden State to the foul line for 48 free throws compared to Denver's 27. "Print what you see, man. Print what you see going on out there," Van Exel said. "Any time a player says something, it costs us money." Antonio McDyess had 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead Denver. Chris Herren added 17 points, and Chris Gatling 14. Hughes had 14 of his points in the first quarter, helping Golden State open a 23-point edge by the end of the period and he scored 17 more in the fourth quarter to turn back a Denver rally. "It took a lot for them to get back. When they made it to within eight, we were in a bonus situation and we took it from there," Hughes said. Denver couldn't match Golden State's explosive start, falling behind by 27 points on Vonteego Cummings' 18-foot jumper 46 seconds into the second quarter. The Nuggets, held to 18 points in the first quarter, managed to outscore the Warriors 29-25 in the second period but still trailed 66-47 at halftime. "We were basically on the verge of being embarrassed," McCloud said. "We made a game of it but it's tough on every one to get down by 20. We have to be disappointed in ourselves. We played about 18 minutes in the second half. We were playing catch-up the entire game." Down 80-56 after Jason Caffey made the first of two free throws with 5:06 left in the third quarter, the Nuggets got back in the game by closing the period with a 21-8 run and pulled to 88-80 on McCloud's 3-pointer with 11:19 remaining. Hughes then hit a 12-foot jumper to start a 12-5 burst that he capped with a 3-pointer and Golden State was up 100-85 with 7:09 left. Denver got consecutive 3-pointers from Raef LaFrentz and Gatling, and after Caffey again made one of two free throws, McDyess made a 15-foot jumper pulling the Nuggets to 101-93 with 5:03 remaining. McDyess tried driving for a layup that would have cut the deficit to six, but Foyle blocked the shot. The rebound went to Herren but he lost the ball, leading to a fast break that ended in a three-point play by Davis to rebuild Golden State's lead to 11 points. Denver didn't get closer than nine again.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Denver Clubhouse Golden State Clubhouse RECAPS Orlando 92 Philadelphia 80
Golden State 117
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