It was a tale of two halves at the Target Center on Friday night as the Denver Nuggets watched their 10-point lead evaporate in the final minutes, ultimately falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-116. The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for a Nuggets team with championship aspirations, especially after seemingly having the game in hand.
Nuggets’ Momentum Halted by Technical Foul
Denver appeared to be in control after rookie Christian Braun threw down a thunderous dunk over Timberwolves’ star center Rudy Gobert with just over five minutes remaining. The poster slam extended the Nuggets’ lead to eight and had the team riding high.
However, Braun’s celebration, which involved flexing and getting in Gobert’s face, earned him a technical foul. The ensuing free throw and possession for Minnesota halted Denver’s 11-0 run and shifted the momentum back in the Timberwolves’ favor.
I got to be more responsible. It’s two points. Obviously, those are the plays you want to make and those are the momentum plays I want to make, but getting a tech throws the momentum their way, so I got to do a better job of controlling myself.
Christian Braun on his technical foul
Murray Exits with Injury, Jokic Takes Blame
To make matters worse for the Nuggets, point guard Jamal Murray exited the game and entered concussion protocol in the final minutes. With their floor general sidelined, Denver struggled to execute down the stretch.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, despite finishing with an impressive 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists, shouldered the blame for the loss. The Serbian big man missed both of his shot attempts and committed two costly turnovers in the final three minutes.
This defeat is on me. I need to do a better job of getting guys involved. It was really bad for me.
Nikola Jokic taking responsibility for the loss
Timberwolves’ Resilience and Clutch Play
The Timberwolves refused to go away quietly, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker draining two crucial three-pointers to fuel the comeback. Minnesota’s tenacious defense also played a key role, with Gobert coming up with big stops and rebounds in the final seconds.
We’re never going to give up, and that’s the championship mindset that we need to have. All the best teams in this league, they’re not always perfect, but they don’t doubt. They never doubt. They know how to regroup, know how to refocus and be who they are when it matters the most.
Rudy Gobert on the Timberwolves’ resilience
Rivalry Renewed, Lessons Learned
This nationally televised matchup served as a reminder of the heated rivalry between these two teams, who have eliminated each other from the Western Conference playoffs in each of the past two seasons. For the Nuggets, it’s a painful lesson in closing out games and maintaining composure in critical moments.
As they look to bounce back from this stinging defeat, Denver will need to address their late-game execution and find ways to maintain their focus and intensity for a full 48 minutes. With the talent and depth on this roster, there’s no doubt the Nuggets have what it takes to compete for a title. But as Friday night’s collapse showed, the margin for error is slim in the unforgiving Western Conference.
The road to redemption begins now for the Denver Nuggets, who must use this loss as fuel for their championship fire. With Jokic leading the way and a supporting cast hungry to prove themselves, expect this team to come out with a vengeance in their next outing. The NBA world is on notice: the Nuggets are down, but far from out.
