It took just 40 seconds of Sunday’s Game 4 before the Warriors learned of Denver’s resolve.
Golden State’s Draymond Green had dropped Nikola Jokic to the floor with a finger to his right eye. As the reigning MVP lay on the floor in pain, Aaron Gordon got tangled up with Green, exchanging a few choice words in the process.
The tense, chippy exchange earned technical fouls on both players. It also indicated, early, the Nuggets had designs on going back to San Francisco.
“I didn’t like the fact that he poked Jok in the eye,” Gordon said at Tuesday’s practice ahead of Wednesday’s Game 5.