By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Minnesota Timberwolves overpowered the Denver Nuggets, 115-95, in Ball Arena.
In a streak stretching from the 2024 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel to the 2024-25 Regular Season, the Wolves topped the Nuggets in a fifth straight game.
“We need to do a better job. I don’t know what, but it seems we are not playing good against them, or maybe they don’t let us play good against them,” pointed out Nikola Jokic in a postgame press conference following Wednesday’s game.
“I want to win every game, so if I lose, I don’t think any loss is really easy for stomach,” he furthered, “When someone beats you so many times in a row, it’s something you need to figure out, you need to think about it.”
Dealing with a right elbow contusion and a left ankle impingement, the Serbian superstar lasted 38 minutes, tallying 34 points with 13/23 from the field, including two three-pointers. He added eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
“They’re into the ball. They know what they’re trying to do.” Jokic also praised the defensive effort of the Timberwolves.
On the winning end, French starting center Rudy Gobert was cleared to play through a low back injury maintenance and posted an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Over 30 minutes, he also registered three assists and one block.
With a safe separation for the team coached by Chris Finch, Bosnian Luka Garza logged nearly five minutes of garbage time in the fourth quarter, putting in five points and two rebounds. Dutch teammate Jesse Edwards was assigned to G League affiliate Iowa Wolves.
Playing five minutes in the fourth quarter for the Nuggets, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar grabbed two rebounds. Croatian Dario Saric stayed on the bench for the team coached by Michael Malone.