The Golden State Warriors entered their meeting with the Denver Nuggets trailing the home team by a half game in the standings.
It didn't take long for the defending champs to assert their dominance in a statement game.
In the first quarter, Golden State scored an NBA-record 51 points in the first quarter to get out to a 13-point lead over Denver, who put forth a respectable 38 points in the first frame.
Kevin Durant - 17 PTS, 3 3PM
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) January 16, 2019
Klay Thompson - 13 PTS, 3 3PM
Steph Curry - 12 PTS, 4 3PM
The @warriors scored 51 points in the first quarter, an NBA record for most points scored in a first quarter. pic.twitter.com/oreUrwwXOE
It's just the sixth time in NBA history a team has scored over 50 points in the opening frame of a game and the first time since 1990.
The Warriors came out of the gates firing, shooting a red-hot 19-for-25 (76 percent) from the field and 10-for-14 from 3-point range in the first 12 minutes. All-Stars Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry combined to score 42 of the team's 51 points and sank all 10 of the team's 3-pointers on 13 combined attempts.
They never looked back.
Golden State led by as many as 38 points on the night and reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference with a 142-111 road win. Curry (8-for-13) and Thompson (5-for-8) combined to sink 13 3-pointers and they each scored a game-high 31 points. Durant finished the night with 27 points as he shot 11-for-15 from the field and 5-for-7 from deep.
The All-Star trio's hot shooting was a part of the Warriors' 60 percent shooting night from the field and 53.8 percent shooting night from 3-point range.
In addition to making league history in the first quarter, the point total and made 3-pointers were both single-quarter franchise records.
The Warriors scored a franchise record 51 points in the first quarter tonight at Denver, including a franchise-best 10 three-point field goals (10-14 3FG).
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 16, 2019
The Nuggets, who fall to 29-14 on the season, were led by 22 points from Malik Beasley and 21 points from third-year guard Jamal Murray. All-Star hopeful Nikola Jokic finished the night with 17 points to go along with eight assists and four rebounds.
Denver takes the floor again when it hosts Chicago while the Warriors return home to host the Pelicans in a playoff rematch.
