The Golden State Warriors missed a crucial opportunity to secure a higher seed in the NBA Cup after a disappointing 119-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. Despite holding a seven-point lead with just over two minutes left in the game, the Warriors allowed an 11-0 run down the stretch, marking their fifth consecutive defeat.
As a result, the Warriors (12-8) will enter the NBA Cup quarterfinals as the West’s No. 3 seed, facing the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets on the road. The matchup is scheduled for either Tuesday, Dec. 10, or Wednesday, Dec. 11. The winner will advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 14, where they will meet the victor of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder quarterfinal. The NBA Cup championship game will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 17, also in Las Vegas.
Golden State entered Tuesday’s contest with a chance to climb as high as the No. 1 seed in the West. For that to happen, the Warriors needed to defeat the Nuggets and hope for a Rockets loss to the Sacramento Kings. While the Kings held up their end by upsetting the Rockets 120-111, the Warriors failed to capitalize, squandering their lead late and letting a golden opportunity slip away.
The Warriors now face the challenge of bouncing back from their losing streak before the NBA Cup knockout stage begins. They’ll get an early chance to regroup against the same Rockets team they’ll face in the quarterfinals, hosting them at Chase Center on Thursday night.
With three games remaining before the high-stakes NBA Cup clash, the Warriors will need to address their recent struggles and find a way to regain momentum as they look to make a deep run in the inaugural midseason tournament.
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