The Golden State Warriors are preparing for Stephen Curry to join them soon. In the meantime, though, head coach Steve Kerr wants his team to build good habits. However, that message appears to have gotten lost during one possession in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets. The Dubs’ Brandin Podziemski drew the ire of his teammate and coach, who usually backs him, because of one selfish play.

It came at a pivotal time in the game. The Warriors lost a 13-point lead and found themselves staring at a tie game in the third quarter. One good play would have them control momentum. Podziemski had the chance to find a wide-open Porzingis for a triple. Instead, the young guard took a floater, subsequently leading to an easy fast-break bucket for Denver. And just like that, the Dubs’ chance at keeping their advantage was gone. It led to tempers flaring courtside.

Kerr was visibly upset with Podziemski’s decision-making. He was animated on the sidelines, clearly telling his favorite young player to “pass the ball” in that situation. Even Porzingis had his hands in the air, confused by his decision. The Warriors guard decided to take a tough shot despite having a reliable perimeter threat wide open. That being said, Podziemski did have another decent outing.

The Warriors guard scored 23 points while hitting five three-pointers. Porzingis almost put up identical numbers, hitting all five of his shots from beyond the arc. The duo combined for 46 points. That was the Warriors’ primary offense. The rest of the team, outside of them, combined to make just 19 field goals. Kerr is usually on board with playing Podziemski despite his tendency to over-dribble in tight situations. It’s only because his positives, like much-needed playmaking, rugged rebounding, and taking charges, outweigh the cons.

Podziemski has taken a step forward in his third NBA season. He is averaging a career-high 13.2 points, up from 11.7 last season, while also bumping up his rebounding (5.3) and assists (3.8) averages slightly compared to a year ago. His playing time also has increased, from 26.8 minutes per game to 28.5.

Against Denver, Golden State scored only 40 points in the second half, and as they went cold, the Nuggets’ offense picked up. It’s no surprise that it was Nikola Jokic once again who guided Denver to a comeback win.

Nikola Jokic’s complete display overwhelmed the Warriors

The Nuggets weren’t having the best day against the Warriors. The team averaging the most points in the NBA scored just 46 in the first half. They looked destined for an upset. That’s when Nikola Jokic stepped in. All it took was one quarter for the Joker to turn the game around. Jokic didn’t try to force anything. He recorded a modest stat line of 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists. But almost half of that work came in the third quarter. Denver scored the most points in that period, with the three-time MVP leading a 25-8 run that put the game to rest.

In that short span, Jokic dished out three quick assists and scored four points. The Nuggets outscored the Warriors 40-21, completing a turnaround. That little bit of rhythm set the stage for the Nuggets’ offense to show its true colors. They scored 70 points in the second half and made 19 threes for the game. Their defense was equally commendable. The Warriors found success with their crisp ball movement in the first half. The Nuggets took that away, forcing seven turnovers against just 11 assists in the second half.

They did what Steve Kerr expected from the Warriors when he lashed out at Brandin Podziemski. The Nuggets trusted the weapons they had and made the most of them. Tim Hardaway Jr., Julian Strawther, and Bruce Brown combined for 28 in the second half. In comparison, the Warriors’ bench contributed just 12 points.

The Nuggets snapped the Warriors’ three-game win streak. This was also one of the first of many tough games to follow for the Warriors. They play the Spurs, Cavaliers, and Rockets over their next three games. Likewise, Kerr has only a few days left to instill winning principles in the Warriors.