The Nuggets have lost three straight games for the second time this season.

Here are three takeaways from Denver’s 118-104 loss to the Warriors on Friday at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

1. The Warriors looked like a solid playoff matchup for the Nuggets a couple of weeks ago. Golden State was one of the NBA’s hottest teams on March 17, but Denver won the game by nine despite Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray not playing. Murray was once again sidelined for Friday’s game with hamstring tightness, but Jokic was his typical self. The three-time Most Valuable Player scored 33 points with 12 rebounds and nine assists. He made 13 of 17 shots with three of the misses coming on seven attempts from 3-point range. The issue Friday was Stephen Curry. After needing 21 shots to score 20 points a couple of weeks ago, Curry dropped 36 points on 24 shots Friday. Christian Braun was the primary defender but struggled, as did anyone else who tried to slow Curry. With four games left on Denver’s schedule, the Nuggets, in fourth, and the fifth-place Warriors are on track to meet in the first round. Nuggets fans shouldn’t be nearly as confident as they were a couple of weeks ago in that matchup.

2. Turnovers told the tale of Denver’s 78th game of the season. The Nuggets forced three turnovers in the first five minutes and turned those into easy points to establish an early lead. The game ended with Denver committing 25 turnovers that led to 23 points for the Warriors. Golden State took care of the ball for the final three-plus quarters and finished with 13 turnovers for 17 Nuggets points. Jokic finished with six turnovers. Westbrook, Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun each committed four, while Aaron Gordon was responsible for three. Brandin Podziemski committed a team-high three turnovers for the Warriors, but he contributed 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

3. Julian Strawther kind of made his return to the rotation. After missing a month with a knee sprain, Strawther was in uniform Friday for the first time since March 2. Strawther stayed in his warm-ups until the final minute, when the outcome was out of reach. Instead of playing Strawther in the meaningful minutes of the game, the Nuggets started the game without a true point guard, starting Braun and Peyton Watson, and playing two ones, Russell Westbrook and Jalen Pickett, off the bench. Westbrook had five points, four rebounds, two assists and four turnovers in 20 minutes of playing time. The veteran committed four turnovers and finished 2 of 9 from the field. Pickett led Denver’s reserves with eight points and three assists in 24 minutes of playing time. Strawther has four games to carve out a larger postseason role, but his first game back provided more questions than answers.

WARRIORS 118, NUGGETS 104

What happened: Denver led by 10 after the first quarter, but Golden State used a dominant second quarter to lead 66-60 at halftime. Golden State extended the lead to 12 to start the fourth and Denver dropped to 47-31 with the loss.

What went right: The Nuggets’ offense cruised to a 44-point first quarter. Denver scored 26 points in the paint in the first 12 minutes. Nikola Jokic scored 15 of his points in the first quarter.

What went wrong: That efficient offense disappeared in the second quarter. Denver managed just 16 points in the second quarter and committed eight turnovers in the period. The Nuggets managed just 60 points over the final three quarters.

Highlight of the night: Nikola Jokic dropped another highlight-reel dime late in the first quarter. Russell Westbrook provided an entry pass to Jokic on the right block and cut to the hoop. Jokic rewarded the cut with a no-look, over-the-head pass to Westbrook for a layup.

Up next: The Nuggets return to Denver for Sunday’s game against the Pacers at Ball Arena.