Warriors hold off Nuggets to extend unbeaten home run to 34

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Klay Thompson made a driving finger roll with 15.6 seconds left in overtime and the short-handed Golden State Warriors stayed undefeated at home, holding off the Denver Nuggets 111-108 on Saturday night (Sunday Manila time) after Stephen Curry bruised his left leg again.

Following the game, Denver forward Kenneth Faried was taken off the court on a stretcher with a neck brace stabilizing his head. Faried, injured late in the game, raised his arm for a thumbs-up to fans who stuck around.

After being attended to by medical personnel, he left the court approximately 10 minutes after the game ended.

Replays showed Faried took an elbow to the back of the neck. He scored 15 points and had 12 rebounds in nearly 29 minutes for the Nuggets, who lost their fifth straight game.

Curry came back following a two-game absence because of a bruised lower left leg, but sustained a contusion on his left shin and didn't play the entire second half. The reigning NBA MVP finished with five points, four assists and two steals in 14-plus minutes.

Will Barton, whose two shots late in regulation forced the extra period, missed an off-balance shot following Thompson's go-ahead basket. Thompson then made one of two free throws before Barton's desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the rim.

Draymond Green knocked down his first four 3-point tries in the opening 3 1/2 minutes on the way to 29 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists for his NBA-leading sixth triple-double.

The Warriors had just seven players available for overtime. They blew a 26-point lead before hanging on for their 34th straight regular-season win at Oracle Arena, including a franchise-best start of 16-0 this season.

Barton dunked with 34.5 seconds left and with 0.9 on the clock as the Nuggets rallied to force OT.

Thompson scored 26 points on 11-for-27 shooting for Golden State (31-2). Green's 18 first-quarter points were a career best for a single quarter.

Danilo Gallinari returned to the Denver lineup and scored 24 points after sitting out six games with a sprained left ankle.

Curry went through his regular pregame routine after missing the past two games, including the team's second defeat all season Wednesday at Dallas.

KERR UPDATE

Warriors coach Steve Kerr told interim coach Luke Walton on Saturday morning he wasn't quite ready to be back on the bench, even after taking the last road trip with the team. Kerr is still recovering from complications such as headaches following two back surgeries.

''I know he wants to, and it's frustrating because it's out of his control,'' Walton said. ''When that day will be, I have no idea. I don't think he knows, so we just keep going at it 'til he gives us the nod that he'll be back out there. He looked good on the trip. It was great having him out there. Hopefully that means he's getting closer.''

NURKIC RETURNS

Nuggets center Jusef Nurkic made his season debut after undergoing left knee surgery in the offseason to repair his patellar tendon. The 7-footer went 0 for 5 from the field and scored three points in 5 minutes.

''We will try to acclimate him back in slowly but surely and he is going to give us a low-post presence I think will be a great addition for us,'' coach Michael Malone said.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: PG Emmanuel Mudiay, who missed his 11th straight game as he recovers from a sprained right ankle, could be back within five to seven days to take pressure off 12th-year veteran Jameer Nelson. ''We've got to constantly check the treads on his tires,'' Malone said.

Warriors: NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala earned his first start since Game 6 of the Finals against Cleveland and first in the regular season since April 13, 2014, at Portland. ... G/F Brandon Rush missed the game with right hamstring tightness, and C Festus Ezeli sat out his third game in a row with a sore left toe. ... Joked Walton: ''I told 'em I can give 'em 4 good minutes tonight.'' ... Golden State used its eighth different starting lineup. ... F Harrison Barnes hasn't played since Nov. 27 because of a sprained left ankle. ''He's doing more and more,'' Walton said. ''Would expect to see him back pretty soon.'' ... While Curry typically plays the entire first quarter, he rested for 3 minutes, 40 seconds.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Host Portland on Sunday.

Warriors: Host Charlotte on Monday.