By Chris Robinson
Denver overcomes a rough start to seize control in a familiar playoff rivalry. Inside of the Ball Arena in Denver, the Nuggets overcame a spirited effort from the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-105, to win their first round playoff matchup.
It looked like trouble early. Minnesota came out swinging, the Timberwolves led by as many as 12 points in the opening quarter , and Ball Arena grew anxious as Denver’s offense sputtered through a disjointed start. But if there’s one thing this Nuggets team knows how to do, it’s find their footing — and once they did, there was no catching them.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line, while Nikola Jokić delivered yet another postseason triple-double — 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists — as Denver shook off that sluggish start before taking control.
Facing each other this spring for the third time in the past four postseasons, the Nuggets and Timberwolves had gone head-to-head 28 times since the start of 2022-23 heading into Game 1 — the count was 14-14 — until Denver won to take the series lead. This rivalry has its own language at this point, and Saturday’s game was written entirely in the third quarter.
Denver outscored Minnesota 68-46 in the 24 minutes straddling halftime, shooting 55 percent from the field while holding the Wolves to 39.5 percent. Murray scored 24 of his game-high 30 points in those two quarters, while Jokić added 15 in that stretch on his way to his 22nd career playoff triple-double. The decisive blow came via a 17-2 run in the third quarter that turned a tie game into a commanding double-digit advantage. Aaron Gordon capped the run with a put-back dunk that sent the Denver crowd into a frenzy, extending the lead to 82-68.
Murray’s performance was a masterclass in adaptability. He shot 0-for-8 from three-point range, yet still found ways to score efficiently by attacking the midrange and drawing contact — finishing a perfect 16-of-16 at the free-throw line. When the outside shot isn’t there, Murray simply finds another gear.
Minnesota made things interesting late. The Timberwolves cut the deficit to 97-95 midway through the fourth quarter, but Jokić responded with a personal 5-0 run, including an and-1 layup past Rudy Gobert, to put the game away. The three-time MVP’s ability to impose his will in the moments that matter most remains the defining quality of this Denver team.
Anthony Edwards battled through a sore right knee to finish with 22 points and seven assists, becoming the Timberwolves’ franchise leader in career postseason assists in the process. His willingness to play through pain showed plenty of heart, but Minnesota’s theme afterward was about discipline and decision-making — a failure to bring a composed, thinking man’s approach to the contest rather than any physical limitation. “We’ve got to make smarter, more solid plays,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “We’ve got to be more composed.”
Denver has now won 13 straight games dating back to March 18, arriving at the playoffs with momentum and a sense of inevitability.
*** Photo courtesy of artetavz
Chris Robinson can be reached at crobinson@hustleboss.com