Jamal Murray scores 26, Nuggets hold off Warriors 112-110

DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 26 points and blocked KlayThompson’s 3-point attempt in the final seconds, and the DenverNuggets held on for a 112-110 win over the Golden State Warriors onSunday night.

Michael Porter Jr. had 29 points and 11 rebounds and AaronGordon added 13 points and 10 rebounds for short-handed Denver.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic missed his third straight game withcalf tightness that first cropped up against Milwaukee on March 25and lingered against Philadelphia on Monday, coach Michael Malonesaid.

Thompson led Golden State with 25 points and Stephen Curryscored 21, but struggled from the field. Curry missed his firstfive shots from behind the arc and finished 2 of 14 from deep.

Denver (52-26) moved within a game of securing home-courtadvantage in the Western Conference. A victory in the final fourgames or one loss by Memphis will give the Nuggets the No. 1 seedfor the first time in franchise history.

The Warriors (41-38) are tied with the Los Angeles Clippers forthe fifth seed and are just a half-game ahead of the surgingLakers, who have won three straight.

Golden State led by 15 in the second quarter, but the Nuggetsclosed within three at halftime. They led by two after three andopened the fourth quarter on an 8-3 run to lead 97-90. PeytonWatson had a thunderous dunk with 3:58 that put Denver ahead109-98.

Donte DiVincenzo, who had 18 points, sparked a late rally thatgot the Warriors within five in the final minute. Thompson hit a3-pointer to cut it to two points with 20.7 seconds left, GoldenState won a jump ball with 10 seconds left but Thompson misfired ontwo 3-pointers to end it.

TIP-INS

Warriors: F Andrew Wiggins (personal) missed his 22nd straightgame. He has not played since Feb. 13. ... Golden State has lostsix of its last seven against Denver.

Nuggets: C Zeke Nnjai (knee) joined Jokic in street clothes. ...Kentavioius Caldwell-Pope played despite dealing with a non-COVIDillness. He went to the locker room early in the first quarter, butreturned a few minutes later.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Host Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.

Nuggets: At Houston on Tuesday night.