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DENVER – Nikola Jokic will be looking to sign consecutive doubles doubles for the fifth time in his career on Sunday night when the Denver Nuggets host the Golden State Warriors in a 2-0 encounter.
Deandre Ayton, Jokic, burned Phoenix Suns rookie Deandre Ayton for 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in a 119-91 victory on Saturday night.
In the second half of a Sunday, he will face the young Golden State tandem composed of Damian Jones and Kevon Looney, who has succeeded this season veterans Zaza Pachulia and JaVale McGee.
This is the third tough consecutive mission for the young Warriors centers, which have already faced Steven Adams of Oklahoma City and Rudy Gobert of Utah.
Jokic had one of his 10 triple-doubles last season against the Warriors, bringing 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for a 124-114 loss to Golden State in January.
He had triples in the first leg three times in a row last season, his last two against the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland in April.
The Nuggets have beaten the champions twice twice last year and are one of three teams – along with San Antonio and Utah – to have beaten Golden State at least five times in the last year. Steve Kerr era.
They will likely have a sixth win in the past five seasons without striker Will Barton, who suffered a hip injury in the third quarter of Saturday's win over the Suns. It had to help him out of the field.
The Nuggets have not yet signed a stand-alone player, Isaiah Thomas, who is healing his own hip injury. He has no schedule on his return, but he has already had an impact on his teammates by giving everyone a boombox and a helmet.
"These are two very good gifts," said co-guard Gary Harris. "I can not wait to see what he has in store."
As the Nuggets play for the second consecutive night, the Warriors got a well-deserved break Saturday after their victory on the 124-123 road on Utah Friday night.
The Warriors, who had 16 points, triumphed when newcomer Jonas Jerebko, who played last season for Utah, let slip Kevin Durant's mistake three seconds from time.
"I know we're at the beginning of the season, but these types of games are exciting and fun," said Warrior star Stephen Curry, explaining Golden State's exceptionally demonstrative celebration for an early season victory. "We are grateful to have won, so we must celebrate accordingly."
Curry scored 32 and 31 points on Golden State's two wins, the first time in his career that he has 30 goals and more in the first two games of the season.
The Warriors will be looking to go 3-0 for the second time in the last four years. They opened 24-0 in 2015, winning the 103-93 match in Denver.
Several warriors have a history of difficulties in Denver, including Durant, who scored only 36 out of 3 (34.0%) points in 19 career games in Denver, and Klay Thompson, who has never scored more than 21 points in any of his matches. 11 visits to the Pepsi Center.
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