SAN FRANCISCO – While a makeshift Warriors starting five battled it out with Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray at Chase Center on Sunday afternoon, only four reserves were available to take on one of the West’s true contenders. All of the pieces for a big Golden State loss were in place. The Warriors played the game with a skeleton crew. Steph Curry (runner’s knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) were both ruled out. The frontcourt got even thinner as Draymond Green was scratched five minutes before tipoff with lower back soreness. Horford took his place and drew the unenviable assignment of guarding Jokic. But riding an electric finish by Brandin Podziemski, the Warriors...
