Christmas cheer turned sour for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in Denver, as they fell 120-114 to the reigning champion Nuggets. The loss snapped their five-game winning streak and dropped their record to 5-2 since Draymond Green's suspension.
Despite Green's absence, the Warriors fought valiantly, but Curry's struggles proved their undoing. The Chef finished with a pedestrian 19 points on 7-21 shooting, including a dismal 3-13 from three-point range. This continued Curry's historical Christmas Day woes, as he dropped to 4-6 in these festive matchups.
Fans were quick to react to Curry's off night, with one witty Twitter user commenting, "Ayesha serving sour eggnog."
While Curry faltered, Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP, also had a less than stellar shooting performance. However, "The Joker" made up for it by going a perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line, a career high. His 14 rebounds and eight assists further cemented his dominance.
Golden State's other stars, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, couldn't pick up the slack either. Thompson mustered a mere 9 points on 3-12 shooting (3-10 from deep), while Wiggins led the team with 22 points on 7-11 attempts.
Ultimately, Denver's slight edge in fast break points (20-8) and free throws (26-32 to 20-23) proved decisive. The loss also dropped the Warriors to 0-2 against the Nuggets this season, with two more matchups scheduled on January 4th and February 25th.
Over the past three years, the Warriors have struggled mightily against Denver, boasting a dismal 1-8 record, including 0-5 in their last five encounters. Green's potential return for the next matchup remains unclear, and if he stays sidelined, the Dubs face another uphill battle against the formidable Nuggets.
While the Christmas spirit couldn't bring Curry his shooting touch, it certainly provided a thrilling NBA battle. The Warriors' quest for redemption against Denver continues in the new year, and fans eagerly await to see if they can break the Nuggets' spell and reclaim their winning ways.
