NBA: Warriors make history with 51-point first quarter against Nuggets

The Golden State Warriors made history with a 51-point first quarter on Tuesday night against the host Denver Nuggets. The record-setting outburst marked the highest-scoring first quarter by any NBA team, according to Basketball Reference. The previous record of 50 points was held by five teams, with the Phoenix Suns the last club to accomplish the feat on Nov. 10, 1990.

Golden State sprinted into the record books thanks in large part to 10 3-pointers, which marked the most during any quarter in team history, according to the Warriors' public relations staff. Stephen Curry had four 3-pointers, while Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson had three apiece. The Warriors led 51-38 at the end of the quarter.

The teams' 89 points combined fell just two points shy of the NBA record of 91 points in the first quarter, which the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets set on April 10, 1982. The Nuggets now have been involved in the top four of the league's highest-scoring first quarters. Durant capped the scoring with a drive to the rim and a thunderous dunk with 3.9 seconds remaining in the quarter. Durant finished with 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting in the quarter. Thompson had 13 points and Curry had 12. Denver entered the contest with the best record in the Western Conference at 29-13.