The alarm bells couldn’t ring louder for the Denver Nuggets! The team led by superstar Nikola Jokic was also clearly defeated in its second away game in Minnesota. They also failed to take advantage of their opponent’s high-calibre failures.
The first bad news of the game finally hit the hosts from Minneapolis after just 80 seconds. Guard Donte DiVincenzo fell to the floor without any action on his part and immediately signaled that he wanted to be substituted. The diagnosis emerged as the game progressed: the 29-year-old had suffered a torn Achilles tendon, the worst-case scenario – season over!
But things got even worse. Also in the first half, Anthony Edwards (5 points, 1/8 FG) appeared to hyperextend his knee when he landed. He was also unable to continue.
The fact that the Timberwolves were able to shake off this shock was mainly down to one player: Ayo Dosunmu. The guard, who was drafted just a few months ago for a second-round pick from Chicago, played arguably his best game in a Minnesota jersey. The guard scored 16 points after the first two rounds alone, ensuring that Denver never got out of striking distance.
Jokic shows light and shade
In contrast, things initially went very well for the visitors in offense. Jokic scored ten points in the first quarter alone and was also able to put himself in the spotlight again as a ball distributor. The assist for Gordon’s three-pointer before the half-time buzzer was his eighth up to that point. As good as Jokic’s first half was, the second was just as poor: 14 points and eight assists in the first two periods were followed by just six points and one assist in the third and fourth quarters.
The drop in performance after the break was compensated for by Jamal Murray, who ultimately also became the Nuggets’ top scorer with 30 points.
However, even the point guard was no longer able to prevent the momentum from changing in the final quarter. Minnesota won the final period by 30:18 and thus also the game by a clear margin. Dosunmu finished the game with an outstanding 43 points on just 17 throws (13/17 FG, 5/5 threes) – also thanks to a number of crucial plays at the end. Jokic was also disqualified in the final seconds after a scuffle, which may still have consequences.
