CALIFORNIA – Golden State Warriors overcame a slow start to defeat Denver Nuggets, 126-106, in Game 2 of the 2021-2022 NBA Western Conference first round series on Monday night (Tuesday in the Philippines) at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Stephen Curry drilled five triples to finish with 34 points, while Jordan Poole added 29 markers, eight assists and five rebounds. The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Klay Thompson contributed 21 markers, while Andrew Wiggins and Nemanja Bjelica hit double-figures on offense with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Down by as much as 11 points in the first quarter, the Warriors turned things around in the second quarter with outside conversions from Poole, Thompson and Wiggins for a 57-51 halftime lead.
The Warriors went on with its run with outside conversions from Poole and Curry as the lead reached its largest at 104-81 on a trifecta by Thompson early in the fourth.
Nikola Jokić finished with double-double 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Will Barton, Monte Morris and Bones Hyland added 12 markers apiece for the Nuggets.
Meanwhile, Dallas Mavericks used a huge second half assault to defeat Utah Jazz, 110-104, in Game 2 of their NBA Western Conference first round series at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Trailing by double-digits in the third quarter, the Mavericks rode on the outside conversions of Jalen Brunson, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith to finally take the lead at 94-93.
The Mavericks went on with its uprising with Kleber connecting back-to-back triples followed by another outside hit by Finney-Smith for a 107-102 edge before Brunson sealed the win with free throws.
Brunson finished the match with career-high 41 points, to go with eight rebounds and five assists, Kleber added 25 markers, including eight triples, as the Mavs tied the series at 1-1.
Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, surged to a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first round series after a 112-97 win over Toronto Raptors. Joel Embiid led the winners with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
BOX SCORE:
GOLDEN STATE 126 — Curry 34, Poole 29, Thompson 21, Wiggins 13, Bjelica 10, Green 6, Lee 4, Payton 3, Porter 3, Toscano-Anderson 3, Looney 0, Kuminga 0, Moody 0.
DENVER 106 — Jokic 26, Barton 12, Morris 12, Hyland 12, Forbes 10, Cousins 8, Gordon 7, Rivers 7, Cancar 5, Ja. Green 4, Je. Green 3, Campazzo 0, Nnaji 0.
Quarters: 25-26; 57-51; 101-81; 126-106./PN
