Nuggets take Game 1
- Denver beat Minnesota 116-105 in Game 1 of their first-round series on April 18. (vavel.com) - The win gave the Nuggets a 1-0 series lead heading into Game 2. (vavel.com) - Minnesota's official pregame injury report and matchup notes framed expectations before tipoff. (nba.com)
Denver opened its first-round series by beating Minnesota 116-105 on Saturday, April 18, at Ball Arena in Denver. (apnews.com) Jamal Murray scored 30 points and went 16-for-16 at the free-throw line, while Nikola Jokic finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for Denver. (apnews.com) Minnesota led 33-23 after the first quarter, but Denver flipped the game in the middle two periods, outscoring the Timberwolves 68-46 across the second and third. (espn.com) Anthony Edwards scored 22 points for Minnesota, and Julius Randle added 21, but the Timberwolves shot 10-for-33 from 3-point range and committed 13 turnovers. (nba.com) The matchup opened a Western Conference series between the No. 3 Nuggets, who finished 54-28, and the No. 6 Timberwolves, who finished 49-33. Denver won the regular-season series 3-1. (nba.com) It is the third playoff meeting between the franchises in four years, after Denver beat Minnesota in the 2023 first round and Minnesota beat Denver in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals. (sports.yahoo.com) Before tipoff, Minnesota listed Rob Dillingham as out with a right ankle sprain, with the rest of the roster available on its official Game 1 injury report. (nba.com) NBA.com’s Game 1 analysis said Denver’s star duo decided the opener, with Jokic and Murray combining for 55 points, 18 rebounds and 18 assists as the Nuggets took control. (nba.com) Game 2 is set for Monday, April 20, with Denver carrying a 1-0 lead back onto its home floor. (nba.com)
