SAN FRANCISCO – Jordan Poole started in place of Stephen Curry and did quite the impression in Golden State’s 123-107 win over the Nuggets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Saturday at Chase Center.

With Curry reduced the final six minutes of each quarter as he continues to rehab from a foot injury, Poole led all scorers with 30 points, needing just 13 shots to get there. The third-year guard made 5 of 7 shots from 3-point range and 7 of 8 free throws. Will Barton III said the Nuggets need to do a better job of limiting Poole’s easy looks and make him less comfortable.

“Obviously, we’re aware he’s had a hell of a year all season,” Barton said. “We just got to get into him a little bit more, make it a little more tough for him, be even more physical with him and just compete even more on that end.”

Klay Thompson also hit five 3s for the Warriors, while Curry, who went 3 of 6 from 3, and Andrew Wiggins added 16 points apiece. Draymond Green, who finished with nine assists and six rebounds, was the fifth Warrior in double figures with 12 points.

“The were just better than us in every aspect of the game,” Nikola Jokic said.

The other numbers that bothered Nuggets coach Michael Malone were 21 points off 10 Denver turnovers and 20 more points off 10 offensive rebounds.

“We can’t beat ourselves and the Warriors in the same game, and we did that tonight. Whether it was the 41 points off turnovers and rebounds, whether it was blown coverages – there was a blown coverage where we should’ve guarded a certain play a certain way, we don’t, and then we even make matters worse by fouling Steph Curry,” Malone said.

“Too many lack-of-discipline examples coupled with everything else. That’s why we got beat pretty good tonight.”

Jokic led the Nuggets with 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block but needed 25 shots to get there.

“I think I missed a couple easy ones, but I think they were defending me really well,” Jokic said. “I need to be better. I just need to at least make the lay-ups and easy shots.”

Barton added 24 points, while Monte Morris and Bones Hyland each added 10. The Warriors shot 29 free throws to Denver’s 17, but Denver’s players and coaches said that was a function of Golden State being more aggressive.

“Just hitting first and showing the refs we’re going to be the aggressors tonight,” Morris answered when asked how to decrease that gap. “They did that, and that’s why they, unfortunately, was going to the line like that.”

The Nuggets established an early 11-6 lead before Thompson got the home fans into it with a couple of 3-pointers. Curry entered the game in middle of the first, but didn’t take a shot in the opening period. The Nuggets used 16 first-quarter points in the paint to take a one-point lead to the second quarter.

Poole scored 14 of his 17 first-half points and led the Warriors take a 58-47 lead to halftime. The Nuggets nearly held Curry to two points in the first half, but he hit his first 3-pointer in the final five seconds of the second quarter to make it an eleven-point game at halftime. Curry’s 3 capped an 18-4 run to close the second quarter.

“That gave them separation,” Malone said. “You don’t want to play from behind in this building against that team.”

Thompson’s fifth 3 opened the scoring in the second half, stretching the lead to 14, before the Nuggets closed within eight. Thompson and Poole again answered Denver’s quick run with a couple of jumpers before Curry and Draymond Green hit from deep to make it an 18-point game late in the third.

“We didn’t defend,” Barton said. “We had too many breakdowns, gave up too many 3s to Poole, too many to Klay. Steph hit some in the minutes he played, also. We’ve got to defend better.”

The Warriors led by 20 to start the fourth and stretched the lead to 24 early in the quarter. The Nuggets trailed by 20 in the final four minutes when Malone gave Vlatko Cancar and Zeke Nnaji some playoff minutes.

Game 2 is scheduled for Monday in San Francisco.

“Hopefully, it’s going to be a long series. We came here to steal one, if we can,” Jokic said. “The pressure is not on us. We are underdogs here, so we need to act like dogs.”