MINNEAPOLIS — Nikola Jokic endured the poorest postseason shooting performance of his career on Thursday, and the Denver Nuggets paid for it with a 113-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of their first-round series.
Jokic connected on just 7 of 26 attempts, missing 19 shots and finishing with four turnovers and three assists. It was the first time this season the two-time MVP recorded more turnovers than assists, and it marked the first occasion in which he attempted at least 26 shots yet converted seven or fewer.
Denver, the NBA’s most efficient regular-season offense at 121.2 points per 100 possessions, failed to reach 100 points for the first time since January. The club had scored under 100 only twice in 82 games, with Jokic sidelined both times.
Early deficit never erased
The Nuggets opened 3-for-21 from the field and scored just 11 points in the first quarter, their lowest period of the campaign. Minnesota established a double-digit advantage almost immediately, stretched the margin to 27 and never let it drop below 10 during the final three quarters.
“When you open the game like that, the easy ones don’t go,” Jokic said. “Really good defensive quarter by them, really bad offensive quarter by us.”
Gobert matchup stifles Jokic
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert shadowed Jokic for most of the night, with coach Chris Finch mirroring their minutes. Jokic finished 7-for-21 against Gobert and is 8-for-29 in the two Denver defeats. For the series overall, he is 5-for-24 from three-point range.
“I’ve never seen him shoot what he shot today,” guard Jamal Murray said. “That’s an outlier type of game.”
Murray also cools off
Murray provided little relief, going 5-for-17 from the floor and 0-for-5 from deep. He is 16-for-42 in the two losses. Head coach David Adelman and Murray both cited weak screen setting as a key factor in the sputtering offense.
“If you can free up your best players, that’s going to bring rotations and lead to ball-movement threes,” Adelman said.
Injury concerns linger
Starting forward Aaron Gordon (calf) was scratched two hours before tip-off, forcing Denver to prepare two separate game plans. Fourth-year wing Peyton Watson has been out since April 1 with a hamstring strain but completed on-court workouts before Game 3; both players will be reassessed ahead of Sunday’s pivotal Game 4.
Jokic, who missed part of the regular season with a hyperextended knee and a wrist issue, said he feels “good” physically despite the heavy workload.
Minnesota’s victory gives the Timberwolves a 2-1 edge, putting pressure on the defending Western Conference champions to adjust before their season is on the brink.
Source: ESPN.com
