Nuggets Roar Back, Recapture Momentum in Game 3 Rout of Timberwolves

With a decisive 117-90 win in Game 3, the Denver Nuggets, with the tenacity of reigning champs, subdued a rowdy Minnesota crowd and regained the momentum in their Western Conference semifinal series.

After a dull series opening, Jamal Murray took the lead with 24 points, quieting the jeers he heard each time he touched the ball. When it comes to the hostile environment, Murray stated, “you have to lock in and be there for your teammates.”

The three-time MVP Nikola Jokic demonstrated his supremacy with a nearly triple-double of 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists. With 21 more points from Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets’ efficient outside shooting (14 of 29) was too much for the Timberwolves to handle.

Leading scorer for the Timberwolves with 19 points, Anthony Edwards, accepted responsibility for the team’s poor performance and promised to turn things around in Game 4.

The Nuggets pulled off a historic comeback with this win, becoming just the fifth team in NBA postseason history to overcome a 0–2 deficit following a pair of home losses. Adversity like this helps shape character, as coach Mike Malone noted, saying, “You’re always testing and finding out about human nature and what guys are made of.”

Denver supporters were happy to see the Nuggets’ offensive explosion against Minnesota’s top-ranked defense, as they broke the 100-point mark for the first time in three games. With a combination of fadeaways and jumpers, Murray—who had previously been criticized and fined—found his groove, helped along by Jokic and Aaron Gordon’s playmaking.

Following a commanding start to the series, the Timberwolves suffered their first defeat. Their offensive woes and defensive star Jaden McDaniels’s foul issues added to the crushing defeat.

Game 4 of the series will now take place in Minnesota, where the Nuggets will be riding high. The Timberwolves still lead 2-1, but the Nuggets have shown that they are a resilient and flexible team.

The Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker stated, “We earned the right to be talked about, but at the end of the day, we knew they were going to try and make it a series.” Basketball fans should anticipate a fierce and surprising struggle between these two Western Conference contenders since the series is far from done.