DENVER, CO – JANUARY 15: Stephen Curry #30 hi-fives Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors on January 15, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Warriors tend do a lot of things that are unprecedented. Tonight, they added something else to the list.
After three titles in four years, there’s not a lot that the Golden State Warriors can do to shock us anymore, but from time to time, they still find a way.
They did so Tuesday night in Denver when they dropped 51 points in the first quarter on the top-seeded Nuggets. It wasn’t the highest-scoring quarter in NBA history, but it was the highest-scoring first quarter ever.
The Nuggets didn’t even defend that poorly, it was just that the Warriors literally could not miss. They shot 10-of-14 from behind the arc in the quarter, and it felt like even more. Kevin Durant poured in 17 points with three 3-pointers, Klay Thompson dropped 13 points on three 3-pointers, and Steph Curry had 12 points on four 3-pointers.
It’s not often that a team scores 38 points in the first quarter and finds themselves trailing by double-digits. The Nuggets shot the ball well themselves in the period, hitting six of their 11 threes. But sometimes there’s just not a lot you can do when you’re up against a juggernaut like Golden State.
According to the Warriors PR team, the ten 3-pointers is the most the franchise has ever hit in one quarter. That’s saying a lot considering the runs we’ve seen this team go on the past few years.
They slowed down a bit in the second quarter, scoring a measly 28 to end the first half sitting at 79. So they won’t hit 200 tonight, but they very well may put up 150, especially if Denver keeps putting pressure on them. The Nuggets narrowed the deficit to just 12 at one point but entered the half down 79-60.
Denver entered the night with the best record in the West, just a half-game ahead of the Warriors. It’s fun to imagine a world where a team can really challenge Golden State out west, but tonight’s a harsh reminder of just how good this Warriors team is.