Nikola Jokić, Nuggets Wow NBA Fans in Dominant Game 3 Win vs. Anthony Edwards, Wolves
Jack MurrayMay 11, 2024
David Berding/Getty Images
Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets entered Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves desperately needing a win. The team’s effort Saturday clearly showed that.
The Nuggets dominated in Minnesota, taking a 56-41 halftime lead and building on it to take a 115-90 victory and cut the series deficit to 2-1.
ESPN @espnTHE NUGGETS BOUNCED BACK 😤 pic.twitter.com/tyqZdnAArA
Denver Nuggets @nuggetsPicked one up on the road 🤝 pic.twitter.com/v1ovM9fTXB
The series has been tougher than anticipated for the No. 1 seeded Nuggets, but Game 3 showed the team what fans were more accustomed to seeing.
Jokić and Jamal Murray each had 24 points, which led Denver. Michael Porter Jr. was next with 21 points, while Aaron Gordon had 13 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope rounded out the starting five with 12 points.
The Timberwolves were led by Anthony Edwards, who had 19 points, five assists and six rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists while Mike Conley and Jayden McKnight had 10 points each.
The focus on the night was Jokić’s dominance, as his 24 points were accompanied by 14 rebounds and nine assists. This was his best all-around performance of the series and comes just two days after he earned his third MVP award in the last four seasons.
NBA @NBAJokic spins and cleans up his own 💪
22 PTS, 13 REB, 9 AST for the 3x #KiaMVP!
Nuggets looking to take Game 3 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/Dsb55ot1Nb
Fans took to social media to praise Jokić and the Nuggets as a whole for the return to excellence:
RK @RyanKoenigsbergThe Denver Nuggets pic.twitter.com/wMDJy5o1hp
CT @CTFazio24Jokic has been setting screens like a truck tonight
No_look_Jok @nolookjokNational media and Jokic twitter trolls:
“The nuggets are dead. 3xMVP is a joke.”
The nuggets: pic.twitter.com/j8Ayd4lb19
Bennett Durando @BennettDurandoNikola Jokic stripping Ant in the paint and turning it into a transition lob to Aaron Gordon is killer Nuggets basketball.
G @bucketexpressThe nuggets needed jokic to win mvp and get bullied. Nuggets needed that motivation
Rachel the Insomniac🐈🐕☕🛫🎶🏀🏈🏒🍁🗻🦙👩🏻🌾 @CO0483T#Nuggets aren’t done!
pau🫥 @jigipawnuggets still on🤪
While the win could serve as a reset for the Nuggets, the team needs to keep its foot on the gas in order to stay alive.
It still has the daunting task of earning a second road victory over Minnesota. While the Timberwolves had a difficult night, another performance like that should be considered unlikely.
Denver will look to even the series at two and avoid a challenging 3-1 deficit in Game 4. That game will tip-off Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
