Warriors Take Down Denver in Matchup of West’s Best

Klay Thompson with Warriors in 2017. Photo by Robert John Herbert/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

The two top teams in the NBA’s Western Conference standings showed off in a must-watch game on Friday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

Golden State dispatched the Denver Nuggets by a 122-105 final score, cementing their status as the team to beat come playoff time in the West.

In addition to the psychological message sent by their win, the victory also increases the Warriors’ chance for the number one seed in the playoffs.

They now own a 2 game lead over Denver for the top spot in the conference with only 17 games left in the season.

The key to Golden State’s victory was undoubtedly guard Klay Thompson’s performance.

Thompson, who had missed the Warriors’ two previous games with knee soreness, returned to make 9 three-pointers and score 39 points despite Denver’s best efforts to slow him down.

Kevin Durant turned in a big and ultra-efficient performance of his own, shooting 10-15 from the field and scoring 27 points.

While the West race isn’t over yet, the Dubs’ win increases their odds to finish the season as the conference’s top seed.

The two-time reigning champions have had a turbulent season at times this campaign, but their win on Friday reminded rivals that any route to a championship will go through them.