DENVER — Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is "well on his way to earning his second MVP." Malone was the Warriors' lead assistant from 2011-13, and he noted Curry's dedication and work ethic even back then. There are some great catch-and-shoot players, guys who can really knock down shots, but rarely have you seen a guy who has the kind of ball-handling skills that he has and who hits as many dribble pull-up, behind-the-back, cross-over threes. Curry went into the game averaging a league-high 33.6 points on 51.5 percent shooting from the floor and 44.1 percent shooting from three-point range. Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton, who played 10 seasons in the NBA, said the altitude negatively affected him for about the first six to eight minutes in Denver. Because of their schedule, the Warriors weren't able to practice Saturday night or have a shootaround Sunday morning to get acclimated to the altitude.