Denver NuggetsOpen full analysis
Minnesota TimberwolvesOpen full analysis
The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets 113–96 on April 23 at Target Center, holding the defending champions well below the Vegas total of 231.5 points. Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 25 points, supported by Jalen McDaniels' 20 points, while the Timberwolves shot 47.3 percent from the field and made 9 three-pointers. Denver's Nikola Jokić scored 27 points but received minimal support from Jamal Murray's 16 points as the Nuggets managed just 34.1 percent shooting and 8 made threes. Minnesota's suffocating defense was the decisive factor: the Timberwolves held a 112.7 offensive rating against Denver's 92.7, while their defensive rating of 92.7 forced the Nuggets into a sluggish first quarter that yielded only 11 points. The hosts controlled the glass with 53 rebounds to Denver's 40 and distributed 31 assists on their 113 points. Denver's second-half offensive surges in quarters three and four proved too little too late, as Minnesota's second-quarter explosion—36 points—established command early. This road loss signals Denver's vulnerability without consistent perimeter support for Jokić.
