Nuggets series turns on Jokić
- The Denver Nuggets dropped Game 2, making Game 3 in Minnesota a pivotal point in the first-round series. - Coverage focuses on Nikola Jokić’s form and whether Rudy Gobert can limit him effectively in Game 3. - If opponents can suppress Jokić, the series outcome may hinge on Denver’s supporting cast producing enough offense on the road. ( )
Nikola Jokić is the hinge of Denver’s first-round series now: after Minnesota’s 119-114 Game 2 win, Game 3 on April 23 shifts to Minneapolis with the series tied 1-1. (espn.com) (nba.com) Denver won Game 1, 116-105, behind Jokić’s 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. In Game 2, he still finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, but Minnesota erased a 19-point deficit and closed better. (nba.com) (espn.com) The matchup inside changed the game. ESPN reported Rudy Gobert held Jokić to 1-of-8 shooting as the primary defender in Game 2, including three one-on-one stops late in the fourth quarter. (espn.com) Minnesota did not need to double-team every touch once Gobert settled in. Anthony Edwards said in the huddle that Gobert should guard Jokić “one-on-one,” and ESPN reported Jokić scored 14 of his 24 points while Gobert sat with four fouls in the third quarter. (espn.com) That is the pressure point in this series because Denver’s offense still runs through Jokić more than anyone else. In Game 1, his triple-double helped unlock Jamal Murray’s 30 points; in Game 2, Murray scored 23 in the first half but missed his final four shots in the last four minutes. (nba.com) (espn.com) The seeding says Denver should be comfortable here: the Nuggets were the No. 3 seed at 54-28, Minnesota the No. 6 seed at 49-33, and Denver won the regular-season series 3-1. The first two playoff games have looked tighter than that, with one win each at Ball Arena. (nba.com) (espn.com) The cast around the stars is part of the equation now. Official Game 2 box score data shows Anthony Edwards scored 30 for Minnesota, Julius Randle added 27, and Jaden McDaniels had 15, while Denver got 30 from Murray and 16 from Aaron Gordon in the loss. (statsdmz.nba.com) Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern in Minneapolis, with Game 4 there on April 25. If Gobert can keep Jokić working for every catch and finish, Denver will need more road offense from the rest of its lineup to take back control. (nba.com)
