Three Takeaways From Nuggets' Dominating NBA Cup Win vs. Warriors

The Denver Nuggets were able to put together a commanding victory over the Golden State Warriors for their second NBA Cup matchup of this year, winning in a 129-104 blowout, and effectively raising them to 6-2 on the season.

A strong and inspiring performance for the Nuggets, who had it clicking on both sides of the ball in order to even the season series against the Warriors. It also marks Denver's first win of the Group Stage of this year's NBA Cup slate, with two more games left on the horizon.

But before glancing at what's ahead, let's take a look at three of the biggest takeaways from the Nuggets' blowout vs. the Warriors in Denver.

1. Jamal Murray's All-Star Campaign Is Officially Underway

Nov 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) controls the ball as Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) guards in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

It's hard to dislike how Jamal Murray has started his 2025-26 campaign off for Denver, and he kept that early season momentum flowing in this one.

Murray wound up as the Nuggets' second-leading scorer on the night behind only Nikola Jokic, finishing with 23 points on 8-12 shooting from the field, combined with four rebounds and eight assists. It was his fifth 20-point performance of the season so far, and his second with five three-pointers.

Jamal Murray is FEELING IT from deep 🔥

He's 5-6 from beyond the arc... in just the 1st half!

🏆 GSW-DEN • West Group C
📺 @emirates NBA Cup on Prime: https://t.co/XdHc2HIly1 pic.twitter.com/gEU7vbDQYl
— NBA (@NBA) November 8, 2025

The road to being an All-Star guard in the talented Western Conference is a daunting one, but if the Nuggets can keep winning, and Murray's career year can continue at the same rate, it'll be hard to keep his name out of the All-Star discussion come February.

2. Where Is Cameron Johnson?

Nov 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) before game against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The disappointing start to the season continued for Cam Johnson against Golden State.

Johnson finished the night with a whopping zero points on 0-3 shooting, paired with one rebound and four assists within the 25 minutes he was on the floor. In the eight games he's played with Denver, the Nuggets' offseason addition has scored in double figures on just two occasions, and has shot a collective 25.8% from three-point range.

At some point, the feelings around Johnson's cold spell are going to shift from nothing major to a genuine concern. Strong shooters of Johnson's caliber are typically bound to see their shot come eventually. But nearly ten games in for the 29-year-old, that turnaround has yet to happen.

3. Without Curry, Nuggets Had the Leg Up From Deep

Nov 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

The absence of Stephen Curry was painfully obvious for the Warriors in the process of their 25-point blowout.

The Nuggets had the clear advantage over Golden State from beyond the arc from start to finish. Denver had four players with two or more three-pointers, led by Murray's five makes on seven attemps, and connected on an impressive 16 shots from deep as a team on 48.5%.

For the Warriors, they went just 12-41, nearly half of those coming from Draymond Green, with five. That inefficiency from deep ended up being the difference for Golden State, who, through their first seven games, have been shooting a relatively effective 38.9% collectively.

1. Jamal Murray's All-Star Campaign Is Officially Underway

2. Where Is Cameron Johnson?

3. Without Curry, Nuggets Had the Leg Up From Deep

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