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Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Nikola Jokic took three dribbles to cross half-court and flung a 39-foot shot off the backboard as the final buzzer sounded, sinking a deep game-winner to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Golden State Warriors. "It was a really nice comeback win for us," Jokic told TNT after the 130-127 victory Thursday in San Francisco. "We didn't give up. That's one of the best descriptions of us: we never quit."
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Jokic nearly recorded a triple-double, with a game-high 34 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter at Chase Center.
The Warriors held a 35-to-8 assist to turnover ratio and led by as many as 18 points.
"I think we probably just got too cool out there, rather than playing with the same grit that had us up double digits," Warriors forward Klay Thompson told reporters.
Jokic scored 15 over the first 12 minutes and the Nuggets carried a 34-33 lead into the second quarter. Guard Jamal Murray scored 13 in that frame, when the Nuggets outscored the Warriors 36-30 to carry a 70-63 edge into halftime.
The Warriors outpaced the Nuggets 44-24 in the third to close the gap and take a 13-point lead into the fourth. They pushed their lead to 18 with 6:51 remaining. Jokic and Gordon then answered with a 13-0 run, cutting the deficit to five points.
Gordon cut the deficit to 127-125 with a dunk with 1:08 remaining. Jokic went on to hit a short jumper about 42 seconds later, tying the score.
Murray intercepted a pass from Warriors star guard Stephen Curry for a turnover on the Warriors' final possession. The Nuggets called a timeout to set up the final sequence.
Gordon tossed a pass into Jokic from the sideline to start the last play. Jokic, who drew defender Kevon Looney, caught the ball and dribbled to his right.
The 6-foot-11 Serbian center took two dribbles to cross half-court. He then took an additional bounce, stopped his feet and lifted the ball over his head, launching his heave off the glass and through the net for a dramatic game-winner.
"It was a 25 to 4 run to close," Nuggets coach Mike Malone said of the comeback victory. "You don't see that happen to that team in this building very often. I'm very happy of this group for staying with it."
Jokic made 13 of 16 shots from the floor and 2 of 2 3-point attempts. Murray totaled 25 points and six assists for the Nuggets. Nuggets guard Peyton Watson chipped in 19 points off the bench.
Curry totaled 30 points for the Warriors. Thompson chipped in 24.
The Nuggets (25-11) will host the Orlando Magic (19-15) at 9 p.m. EST Friday in Denver. The Warriors (16-18) will host the Detroit Pistons (3-31) at 10 p.m. Friday in San Francisco.
