Curry scores 34 points off bench; Warriors rout Nuggets

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry drove to the basket with fervor and knocked down a 3-pointer while falling to the ground getting fouled to convert a key four-point play, exhibiting all the signs he's his healthy former self at last.

And the raucous home crowd loved every minute of No. 30's galloping, grinning, body-shaking show.

Curry came off the bench for a second straight game following a month-long absence with a foot injury, scoring 34 points to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Denver Nuggets 126-106 on Monday night for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series.

He was only on the floor 3 seconds shy of 23 minutes, and no player in the shot clock era had scored as many as 30 points in 23 or fewer minutes in a playoff game, according to Elias.

“It didn't surprise me because we've been watching this for a long time with Steph,” coach Steve Kerr said. “You never really are surprised when he has an outburst like that. It's great to see."

Nikola Jokic had 26 points and 11 rebounds before being ejected with 7 minutes left after a second technical and was held back from a referee, after his first technical came with 2:31 to go in the third. The MVP candidate's emotions ran high all night. In the first quarter, Golden State guard Gary Payton II patted Jokic on the backside and the big man turned and came toward Payton when Curry stepped in and held the 7-footer back and Jordan Poole came in to help.

Draymond Green’s defense flustered Jokic all night.

“If you feel like you're getting under their skin you press up a little more," Green said. “If you don't feel like you're getting under their skin, you press up a little more.”

Poole started for Curry again and contributed 29 points — just missing a chance to