Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets entered Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves desperate for a win. The team’s efforts on Saturday showed that clearly.
The Nuggets dominated Minnesota and led 56-41 in the first half, then continued to advance to achieve a 115-90 victory and reduce the gap to 2-1.
It was a tougher series than expected for the No. 1-ranked Nuggets, but Game 3 showed the team what fans are accustomed to seeing.
Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 24 points as Denver led. Michael Porter Jr. was next with 21 points, while Aaron Gordon scored 13, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rounded out the starting five with 12 points.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 19 points, five assists and six rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Mike Conley and Jayden McKnight each scored 10 points.
The focus of the night was Jokic’s dominance, as his 24 points were accompanied by 14 rebounds and nine assists. This was his best overall performance of the series Come Just two days after he won the Most Valuable Player award for the third time in the past four seasons.
Fans took to social media to praise Jokic and the Nuggets as a whole for their return to excellence:
While a win could be a reset for the Nuggets, the team needs to keep its footing in order to survive.
It still has the daunting task of getting a second win over Minnesota. While the Timberwolves had a tough night, another performance like this should be considered unlikely.
Denver will look to tie the series at two and avoid a 3-1 deficit in Game 4. This match will begin on Sunday at 8 pm ET.
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