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Warriors go for 6 straight in trip to Denver

Mar 13, 2015 - 1:18 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Golden State Warriors have the longest active winning streak in the Western Conference at five games and will put the streak to the test Friday against the Denver Nuggets.

The Warriors are 15-4 since the end of January and battled back to top the Detroit Pistons, 105-98, on Wednesday at home. Detroit had an 81-79 lead early in the fourth quarter until Golden State roared back with an 18-2 run in a span of less than four minutes to seize control.

Klay Thompson shouldered the scoring load with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting and both Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala netted 13 points. Andrew Bogut and Marreese Speights scored 12 points apiece for the West-leading Warriors, who shot 52.4 percent and matched their win total from last season (51).

"I was really pleased with the defense in the second half and the fight when the game got close," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Stephen Curry was held to nine points and handed out 11 assists. It was only the second time this season Curry failed to reach double digits.

The Warriors are 23-10 on the road and will begin a six-game homestand Saturday versus New York, LA Lakers, Atlanta, New Orleans, Utah and Washington.

Golden State, which is 33-0 when holding teams under 100 points, leads the NBA in scoring (109.6 ppg), field goal percentage (47.7), 3-point shooting (39.1) and opponents' field goal percentage (42.5).

The NBA's best record in a season when holding opponents below 100 points was set by the 1994-95 Orlando Magic (29-0). The last team to finish a season undefeated in games where it kept an opponent under 100 points was the Warriors (20-0) in 2007-08.

Denver has won two straight and four of six games, including Wednesday's 115-102 victory over the East-leading Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks played all of their starters and were outmatched.

The Nuggets had a 31-22 lead after the first quarter and headed to the locker room with a 60-42 advantage. Randy Foye scored all of his 11 points in the third quarter and Denver shot 68 percent in the frame, taking a 98-68 cushion into the final stanza.

Atlanta did post a 34-17 scoring margin in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets fended off the Hawks' late rally.

Danilo Gallinari led seven Nuggets in double figures with 23 points. Kenneth Faried had 14 points and four blocks, while Will Barton posted 16 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench for the Nuggets, who have won four of six since interim coach Melvin Hunt took over for Brian Shaw. The last two wins have been by double digits.

"Everything starts with defense for us," said Faried. "When we're playing defense like that, it's kind of hard to beat us, no matter what team you are."

Denver has scored 100-plus points in each of the last six games after failing to reach the mark 16 times in the previous 22 contests.

The Nuggets recorded their third home win in four games and are 15-19 at the Pepsi Center this season. They will begin a five-game road trip Sunday against New Orleans, Memphis, Houston, Miami and Orlando.

Golden State annihilated Denver, 122-79, on Jan. 19 in California, as Thompson and Curry scored 22 and 20 points, respectively. The two teams will meet again April 15 at Oracle Arena.

The two Western foes split four meetings a season ago, while Golden State is 7-3 in the past 10 encounters. The Warriors, who are 30-7 against teams from the West this season, have won two straight and three of four games in Denver.