Nuggets take 3-0 series lead with road win over Timberwolves

Nuggets take 3-0 series lead with road win over Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets delivered the type of disciplined performance that’s a prerequisite for lasting a long time in the NBA playoffs.

The Minnesota Timberwolves sure aren’t there yet.

Jokic had his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists and the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 120-111 on Friday night to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

“We didn’t want to give them life,” said Jokic, the two-time reigning NBA MVP who led the league with 29 triple-doubles this season. “We wanted to be the aggressor. We wanted to punch them first.”

Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points and nine rebounds and Jamal Murray added 18 points and nine assists as Denver withstood another dashing game by Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards to send a loud crowd of white-shirt-wearing fans home from another frustrating postseason loss.

“Proud of the group,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said. “They handled their business like they’re supposed to, like mature teams do.”

Edwards scored 36 points to raise his series total to 95, Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points after totaling only 21 points over the first two games and Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves, but a defensive lapse here and a rushed 3-pointer there was enough to seal their fate against this Nuggets team finally healthy enough for another run at the NBA finals.

“Our decision-making on offense just kind of let us down,” coach Chris Finch said.

Bruce Brown had 12 points to lead Denver’s 29-10 edge in bench points, and the Nuggets shot a hard-to-beat 57% from the field.

Game 4 is here Sunday.

“No disrespect to the T-wolves, this is about us, but we don’t want to go back to Denver,” Malone said.

With the Nuggets holding their first 2-0 lead in nine playoff series under Malone, their message from the coach was to keep the throttle on full and not give the underdog Wolves extra confidence.

The Western Conference’s top team shot like its seeding depended on it and outjumped the Wolves for just about every long rebound. The Nuggets had two 9-0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead.

Edwards, who had 41 points in Game 2 for the franchise playoffs record, single-handedly brought the Wolves back with the kind of starburst only players like him are capable of.

After a bad pass by Towns was picked off by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Edwards hustled for the block and quickly converted a Euro-step layup on the other end. The Wolves kept up the momentum and cut the lead to 61-55 right before halftime. They were still within six points at the end of the third quarter.

The Wolves won their play-in game here a week ago on the backs of Towns and Gobert, the unlikely big-man pairing they created when former Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly bolted for the same job in Minnesota and swung a blockbuster trade for Gobert.

The Wolves attacked the basket better than they did in the first two games, and Towns drew Jokic’s fourth foul with 5:51 left in the third quarter, but the 7-foot Serb is just too skilled — and too much of a load — to get beat that way.

“The offense looks a little different when ‘Joke’ isn’t out there, but we’ve been making it work,” Porter said. “We’ve just got a lot of dudes who can do a lot of different things.”

SCREEN SHOT

Finch, asked before the game about Jokic’s impact on making space for Murray and his shot, took a subtle swipe at how he feels Jokic — who has 14 fouls in the series — is officiated.

“He does a really good job of screening, and moving and screening at the same time, those types of things,” Finch said in his best deadpan.

Gobert made light at his introductory news conference last summer of Finch’s allegations of his illegal screening with Utah.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Caldwell-Pope had 11 of his 14 points in the second quarter. … Murray, who went 10 for 20 from deep in the first two games, was 1 for 6.

Timberwolves: Towns, who shot 8 for 27 from the field in the first two games, went 10 for 17. He’s 5 for 16 from 3-point range in the series.

Got a story or tip for us? Email Sports Gossip editors at tips@sportsgossip.com 

Want More From Sports Gossip? 

For all the latest breaking Sports Gossip, be sure to follow SportsGossip.com on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter.

You can view the original article HERE.

Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
Khalid Comes Out As Gay, Says He Was Outed
Porsha Williams Sued by Ex Simon Guobadia Over Erectile Dysfunction Posts
Porsha Williams Sued by Ex Simon Guobadia Over Erectile Dysfunction Posts
Jason Kelce Autograph Seeker Goes Berserk On Ex-NFLer, ‘You P***y, F*** You!’
Jason Kelce Autograph Seeker Goes Berserk On Ex-NFLer, ‘You P***y, F*** You!’
Diddy Claims Prosecutors Showed Judge Edited Cassie Video to Make Him Look Dangerous
Diddy Claims Prosecutors Showed Judge Edited Cassie Video to Make Him Look Dangerous
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: A Reflection of a City on the Rise | Festivals & Awards
Cher Says Director Peter Bogdanovich Was an “A**Hole” on the Set of ‘Mask’
Cher Says Director Peter Bogdanovich Was an “A**Hole” on the Set of ‘Mask’
Billy Bob Thornton Thought ‘Bad Santa’ Would End His Career
Billy Bob Thornton Thought ‘Bad Santa’ Would End His Career
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: Disco Afrika, It Was All a Dream, Dreams Like Paper Boats | Festivals & Awards
Black Harvest Film Festival 2024: Disco Afrika, It Was All a Dream, Dreams Like Paper Boats | Festivals & Awards
Yes frontman “deeply hurt” as he hits back at “blatant lies” of former bandmate’s lawsuit
Yes frontman “deeply hurt” as he hits back at “blatant lies” of former bandmate’s lawsuit
Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
Banks announces fifth album ‘Off With Her Head’ with impassioned new single ‘Best Friends’
Jelly Roll on his battle with food addiction: “It’s like an avalanche”
Jelly Roll on his battle with food addiction: “It’s like an avalanche”
Here’s every song on the ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series soundtrack
Here’s every song on the ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series soundtrack
76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
76ers’ George out next 2 games with knee injury
President Biden welcomes 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics to White House
President Biden welcomes 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics to White House
Report: Raiders owner Davis agrees to sell 15% of team
Report: Raiders owner Davis agrees to sell 15% of team
Fun and Frugal DIY Christmas Ornaments
Fun and Frugal DIY Christmas Ornaments
‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
‘Silo’s Syndrome Illness Is Nowhere to Be Found in the Books
10 TV Characters Who’d Be Thanksgiving Dinner Nightmares (And 5 Who’d Be a Dream)
10 TV Characters Who’d Be Thanksgiving Dinner Nightmares (And 5 Who’d Be a Dream)
‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 Has a Matt Problem
‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 Has a Matt Problem
‘Gladiator 2’ Director Explains Why the Twin Emperors Are “So F**King Crazy”
‘Gladiator 2’ Director Explains Why the Twin Emperors Are “So F**King Crazy”
Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!
Luxe Resorts We Love For A Winter Getaway!
Alex Consani Wants An Aritzia Birkin For Christmas
Alex Consani Wants An Aritzia Birkin For Christmas
Hearst Layoffs, Selena Gomez Covers Perfect Magazine, & More!
Hearst Layoffs, Selena Gomez Covers Perfect Magazine, & More!
The Best Fashion and Grooming Men’s Gifts
The Best Fashion and Grooming Men’s Gifts