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The Denver Nuggets left behind a hole in the wall just inside the visiting locker room at Oracle Arena, courtesy of frustrated forward Kenneth Faried's size 16 sneaker.

Escaping the hole they're in against the Golden State Warriors won't be so easy.

The sixth-seeded Warriors have won three straight games since losing All-Star David Lee, the league's leader in double-doubles, to a season-ending hip injury in the series opener.

They're one win away from closing out George Karl's third-seeded band of speedsters who rolled into the playoffs on a 23-3 run and an NBA franchise-best 57-win season that included 23 straight home wins.

The Nuggets are facing the prospect of getting bounced from the first round for the ninth time in 10 years.