Warriors 106, Nuggets 105
OAKLAND -- Andre Iguodala's apparent game-winning 3-pointer was overturned on video review Thursday night, allowing the Golden State Warriors to escape with a wild, 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets at Oracle Arena.
After leading by as many as 12 in the first quarter and falling behind by 17 in the third, the Warriors took the lead for good at 104-102 on a David Lee interior hoop with 2:12 remaining.
It was 106-103 in Golden State's favor before Iguodala drew a three-shot foul on Jarrett Jack with 3.4 seconds left, with the Warriors guard intentionally fouling his opponent in an attempt to give up two free throws instead of three.
The referees ruled it a shooting foul, however, and with the Oakland crowd screaming at the top of its lungs, the Nuggets star made the first two foul shots, then missed a potential game-tying third, with Denver retaining possession when the Warriors' Draymond Green slapped the rebound away from Kenneth Faried and out of bounds.
After the Warriors' Stephen Curry deflected Andre Miller's inbounds pass over the baseline with just 0.5 seconds remaining, the Nuggets were able to lob a crosscourt pass to Iguodala, who delayed slightly before firing up a 24-footer over Klay Thompson.
The 3-pointer swished and was initially ruled a hoop, prompting Nuggets players to dance to the locker room in apparent triumph. However, the video review clearly showed the ball was still in Iguodala's hands when the backboard lights turned red, indicating the game was over and Golden State had won.
Lee had 31 points, Thompson 21 and Curry a 20-point, 10-assist double-double for the Warriors, who were outscored 68-40 in a 24-minute stretch during which a 17-5 lead transformed into a 73-57 deficit.
Iguodala had 22 points and Danilo Gallinari 20 for the Nuggets.
One of the least effective players on the court in the first quarter made two of the biggest plays in the second as the Nuggets turned things around big-time en route to a 60-51 halftime advantage.
Faried got the better of the Warriors' Harrison Barnes on a block and Thompson a charging call in a 90-second stretch of the late second period. That set the stage for his teammates' fireworks during a 19-4 run that turned a 43-34 deficit into a 54-47 lead.
The Nuggets already had used 3-pointers from Iguodala and Gallinari to close within 45-44 before Faried came from nowhere to block a sure-thing Barnes layup at the hoop.
Seconds later, Jordan Hamilton buried a 3-pointer at the other end, giving Denver its first lead of the game 4:22 before halftime.
The margin reached five before Faried's defense took center stage again when he stepped in front of a charging Thompson. The foul was followed by a Gallinari jumper and, suddenly, the Nuggets were up seven.
Faried was more of a detriment (three missed shots, two fouls) than a help (no points or rebounds) in the first quarter as the Warriors started with seven hoops in their first nine shots en route to a 17-5 advantage. David Lee had five of his 19 first-half points in the 4 1/2-minute flurry.
Gallinari had 15 points and Iguodala 12 to lead a balanced attack in the half for Denver, which shot 54.3 percent from the field and 60 percent (6 of 10) of 3-pointers.
NOTES: Warriors center Andrew Bogut disclosed Wednesday he had microfracture surgery on his left ankle in April, after the club had labeled it nothing more than a minor procedure. "We don't want to fool anybody anymore," he admitted, noting he no longer has a timetable for his return. The Warriors had hoped their prize acquisition from the Bucks last February could return to practice this week. Bogut did say he believes he will return at some point this season. ... Less than a full month into the season, the Nuggets and Warriors became the first teams to face each other three times. The Nuggets won the first two meetings, 107-101 in two overtimes on the road and 102-91 in the rematch at home. ... Despite the pair of wins, Nuggets coach George Karl insisted before the game: "The mental edge is in their locker room." ... The game was televised nationally by TNT, one of just three games the Warriors will play in the Thursday night spotlight this season. The Nuggets are scheduled for eight games on Thursdays. ... As they were being televised on TNT, the Warriors announced ESPN had dropped their Dec. 14 game with Orlando. ... Asked beforehand if the rare national TV appearance meant anything special to the Warriors, coach Mark Jackson claimed, "We didn't build this team to show everyone against the Denver Nuggets on one night. We want to sustain it." ... Karl tried to bite his tongue when asked to comment on commissioner David Stern's displeasure with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for sending several key players home instead of playing them in the TNT opener Thursday against Miami. "How you coach your team should be up to the organization and the coach," Karl said.
