https://sports.yahoo.com/curry-poole-thompson-lead-warriors-050237826.html

Associated Press

Curry, Poole, Thompson lead Warriors past Nuggets, 118-113

ARNIE STAPLETON
Fri, April 22, 2022, 1:02 AM

DENVER (AP) — The Golden State Warriors proved they're good counter
punchers, withstanding a fired-up Denver Nuggets team that finally took
the fight to them instead of the officials and each other.

Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole scored 27 points each, Klay Thompson made
six 3-pointers on his way to 26 points and the Warriors muscled past the
Nuggets 118-113 Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in their playoff series.

“It’s a Poole party!” Thompson hollered as he interrupted Poole’s
post-game television interview.

Draymond Green added a key steal from Nikola Jokic, who finished with 37
points and 18 rebounds, in the final minute and the Warriors closed on a
9-2 run to put the Nuggets on the cusp of elimination.

“We played great down the stretch on both" ends of the court, Thompson said.

Andrew Wiggins hit a second-chance 3-pointer to put Golden State ahead
for good 112-111, and Green, who played the final four minutes with five
fouls, came up big by poking the ball away from Jokic with 40 seconds left.

“For Draymond to battle him all night and to make that play in the end
was just a huge part of the win,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

NBA teams in a 3-0 hole are 0-143 all-time in the playoffs, and Golden
State can sweep the series Sunday in Denver.

After two blowouts in San Francisco, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said,
“I know that this sounds weird because it was a loss and there are no
moral victories, I get that. But we gave ourselves a chance tonight. We
didn’t do that in Golden State. We put ourselves in a position late to
beat a very good basketball team.”

After the Nuggets bickered with each other on the bench and Jokic got
ejected for hollering at an official in Game 2, they stuck together and
stayed in this game until the end.

“I love how we fought tonight,” said Malone, who challenged his team to
replicate that effort Sunday: “Are we going to roll over? Are we going
to fight like hell and send this back to Golden State?”

DeMarcus Cousins said Malone needn't wonder.

“I've been a fighter my whole life. I know how I'm approaching it,”
Cousins said. "And I expect everyone else in that locker room to do the
same. ... I'm a fighter, I'll go out swinging.”

The Nuggets were in control for much of the second half, but after
Jokic's finger roll layup put Denver ahead 111-109 with 3:20 left, the
Warriors turned away Denver on six straight possessions while pulling away.

Aaron Gordon added 18 points for the Nuggets, who lost for the seventh
straight time in the postseason. The other six losses were by an average
of 16 points.

Down by 10 at the half, the Nuggets came out with renewed energy and
used a 30-18 third quarter to take an 89-87 lead.

Without max players Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back),
the Nuggets knew they had to slow the pace because they cannot keep up
with these healthy and hungry Warriors.

“We're in a Pinto, and they're in a Maserati,” Malone quipped.

Kerr chuckled at the analogy, noting he's never owned either model.

There's no denying his team is turbo-charged, however, after missing the
playoffs the last two seasons.

“I think in some ways, we are reinvigorated," Kerr said.

Curry sure seems to be having fun again.

Coming out of a timeout in the third quarter he spotted Peyton Manning
sitting courtside and went and shared a handshake, a few words and some
smiles before helping the Warriors absorb every body blow coming their way.

“It was a lovely environment,” Curry said. “I love the way we responded.”

Thompson, who missed much of the last two seasons with knee injuries,
relished pulling out the win in a hostile environment the way the
Warriors used to do so often during their championship runs.

“It's what you dream of. It's what you prepare for and I don't take for
granted nights like these,” Thompson said. “That was a ton of fun and
just a gutsy win by our squad.

"Everything I've worked for the last two years has come to fruition, and
I'm just incredibly grateful to be here and having fun.”

INJURIES

Green rolled his left ankle midway through the third quarter but stayed
in the game. Poole went to the bench a short time later, grabbing his
left elbow. Trainers put a heating pad on his left elbow and forearm but
he returned to action.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Curry has at least one 3-pointer in an NBA-best 115
consecutive playoff games. ... The Warriors shot 68% from the floor in
the first half and six different players combined for a dozen
3-pointers. ... Thompson (388) now in sole possession of third on NBA
Playoffs all-time 3-pointers list, passing Ray Allen (385).

Nuggets: Denver has allowed Golden State to go on second-quarter runs of
16-0 in Game 1, 15-2 in Game 2 and 15-4 in Game 3. ... The first sign of
the Nuggets’ more aggressive play came in the first quarter when Jokic
hip-checked Curry to the floor but didn’t draw a whistle.