Nuggets’ Faried taken from Warriors game on stretcher after neck injury

Through one quarter of last night’s 111-108 loss in Golden State, it looked like the Saturday night tilt in raucous Oracle Arena would be played out like so many Warriors home games this season have.

Barton – who had tied the game at the end of regulation – missed a shot with Andre Iguodala draped all over him. “We’re not a team that makes excuses”. But we fought through it. That was a championship effort.

He missed the final seconds and was taken from courtside on a stretcher after the contest ended with his neck in a brace – raising his arm and giving a “thumbs up” as he was wheeled away.

Denver took its first lead of the game in the overtime, 104-102, but Green and Clark hit back-to-back shots inside the key to put the Warriors back up. “Nobody did anything intentional”.

Faried had been a driving force in the Denver comeback. Beyond winning the championship without ever playing an elimination game, they began the following season on a tear without Mark Jackson’s replacement, winning their first 24 games and finishing the year outscoring opponents by an average of 12.1 points per game.

With Stephen Curry out, the Warriors were left with six available players Saturday night due to injuries which have started to mount up on the defending champs. Now riding a three-game losing streak, the Hornets are also just 3-7 in their last 10 games, desperate to end their slump. Though Curry and Klay Thompson played, the $82 million man has improved to another level, and displayed it against the backdrop of a hobbled Golden State roster. “It’s only January. You’d rather be safe than sorry”. The good news is that Faried did not seem to have any problems with his hands and feet, particularly being able to move them. Will Barton, a primary factor in the Denver rally with 21 points, missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Warriors had survived again to run their incredible record to 31-2.

Faried suffered the injury when he took an elbow to the back of his neck while battling for a rebound late in the overtime period. Thompson made one of two free throws with 6.9 seconds left, giving the Warriors a 111-108 lead and leaving the Nuggets with another chance.

Draymond Green knocked down his first four three-point tries in the opening 31/2 minutes on the way to 29 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists for his NBA-leading sixth triple-double.

The Warriors, who suited up only nine players for the game, finished with just seven after Curry could not continue and centre Andrew Bogut fouled out. “That was a championship effort”.

The Warriors have either been super careful with Harrison Barnes or just his injury is worse than advertised, playing without him 16 games, going 14-2 during that time.

Curry said the same shin was injured during the game.

Warriors interim coach Luke Walton indicated Saturday that he and his coaching staff would keep a close eye on Curry.