Nikola Jokić showcased his dominance with 35 points and 16 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr. contributed 26 points, 13 of which came in the crucial fourth quarter, leading the Denver Nuggets to a hard-fought 115-112 victory over the undermanned Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
Jamal Murray chipped in with 18 points and 11 assists, while Aaron Gordon posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who managed to hold off a spirited comeback attempt by the Timberwolves despite squandering an 18-point lead in less than 12 minutes.
Coach Michael Malone emphasized the need to close out games efficiently, stating, “You have to put teams away. That’s something we have to get better at.”
With the win, the Nuggets (48-21) closed the gap on the Western Conference leaders, Oklahoma City, while the Timberwolves (47-22) slipped to third place.
Anthony Edwards led the charge for the Timberwolves with 30 points, but his efforts weren’t enough to secure the win. Edwards’ attempt to tie the game at the buzzer fell short, reminiscent of a similar scenario in last year’s playoff series against the Nuggets.
Despite Edwards’ late-game heroics, the Timberwolves couldn’t overcome the Nuggets’ resilience down the stretch. Mike Conley’s 13 fourth-quarter points kept the pressure on, but the Nuggets’ composure from the free-throw line sealed the victory.
Playing without their top three big men, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves faced an uphill battle against Jokic and the Nuggets. Although undersized, the Timberwolves displayed grit and determination throughout the game.
The Nuggets capitalized on their size advantage, shooting an impressive 60% from the field in the first half. Despite the Timberwolves’ defensive efforts, the absence of key players ultimately proved to be the difference in the game.
