The Nuggets walked into Monday night already carrying the weight of a shaky start, and the Warriors made sure that burden got heavier. Denver took a 134-114 beating in Golden State, dropped to 1-2, and spent most of the night reminding everyone just how many issues are showing up this early in the 2026-27 season.
There was one clear bright spot, and it came in the area that burned them in the opener: ball security. After coughing it up 22 times against the Oklahoma City Thunder on opening night, Denver has steadied that part of its game over the last two contests.
The Nuggets had 12 turnovers against Golden State, while the Warriors finished with 17, and Denver turned those mistakes into 23 points off turnovers and 18 fastbreak points. There were still a couple of ugly giveaways that will stick in the memory, but overall the Nuggets handled the ball much better than they did in Game 1.
Outside of that, though, the night was thin on positives. The starters never really took hold of the game, DeMar DeRozan was the team’s leading scorer off the bench, and there was no one who stepped up as a real difference-maker.
This was not the same energized group that erased a 23-point deficit against New Orleans. On Monday, the Nuggets never found that kind of spark.
The shooting concerns that hovered over Denver before the season have only grown louder. Julian Strawther’s injury, which will keep him out for several weeks, only made the issue more pronounced, and three games in, the numbers are ugly.
Denver went 10 for 29 from three-point range Monday night, and through three games the Nuggets are shooting 36 for 119 from deep, which is 30%. Against a Warriors team that kept burying shots, that kind of struggle was impossible to survive.
Golden State was ruthless from outside, going 22 for 44 from three on its way to a 50% night from deep. The Warriors also shot 54% overall, and Denver never found a way to slow them down. Cameron Johnson’s absence didn’t help the Nuggets, but the larger problem was that they simply didn’t have enough firepower on the floor to keep pace from the perimeter.
The rebounding gap was another rough look, with the Warriors winning that battle 45-32, but the defense was the bigger story. Denver allowed 134 points in regulation and spent the night looking helpless possession after possession.
That has become a familiar concern, stretching back into last season, and it showed again here. Opposing offenses have been far too comfortable against the Nuggets, and Golden State was no exception.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had the best game of his young career with 31 points, while Steph Curry added 24 points and did it on perfect 8-for-8 shooting from the field. Between those two and the rest of Golden State’s perimeter work, Denver had no answer.
Without the comeback against the Pelicans, the Nuggets would already be staring at an 0-3 start. Instead, they’re 1-2, but the problems are real, and Monday’s loss offered another loud reminder of that.
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Nuggets Rotation Suddenly Gives David Adelman A Tough New Decision
With injuries piling up around the roster, David Adelman has been forced to keep reshaping the Nuggets rotation on the fly, and the latest version has at least given Denver some useful answers. The absences of Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther, Alpha Diallo and Cameron Johnson have opened the door for new combinations, and the coach has leaned into a lineup that asks for more energy, more length and more stability from players who have not always had defined roles.
One of the clearest beneficiaries has been rookie Trevon Brazile, whose defense and rebounding have helped steady recent minutes and give the Nuggets a different look early in games. The bench has become just as intriguing, too, with Marvin Bagley III and DeMar DeRozan both making a strong push for more responsibility after the win over New Orleans, leaving Adelman with a deeper rotation puzzle even as the injury situation keeps forcing his hand. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Gordon Has Become A Real Nuggets Concern
Aaron Gordons importance to Denver has only grown as the Nuggets have tried to steady themselves through a rough stretch, and that is exactly why the current discussion around him has gotten louder. Bill Simmons raised the topic on his podcast, framing the Nuggets as a team that may be close to a panic point if Gordon is no longer able to provide the level of two-way impact they have come to expect from him alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
The concern is not just about one quiet night or a temporary dip. Gordon has been dealing with recurring soft tissue leg issues, and for a player whose value comes from constant movement, physical defense and timely offense, that is a real worry for Denver. If he cannot stay on the floor and sustain the same kind of production, the Nuggets suddenly have a much thinner margin for error than they would like at this stage. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Have Found The Defensive Answer Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Nuggets have already seen two very different versions of their defense against the Pelicans this season, and the latest meeting offered a much better sign for a team still trying to find reliable consistency on that end. Head coach David Adelman liked the way Denver moved from spot to spot, closed possessions with more urgency and got meaningful minutes from rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins in a win that looked far more connected than their first look at New Orleans.
For Denver, the bigger question is whether this was a one-night spike or the start of something sturdier. Adelman has been looking for sharper rotation work and more force in the way his group applies pressure, and the Nuggets will need those habits to stick if they want to turn occasional defensive flashes into something they can trust as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]