Nuggets Take Game 1

Denver opened its playoff series with a 116-105 win over Minnesota on Saturday, April 18, at Ball Arena. (nba.com) The result put the third-seeded Nuggets up 1-0 on the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in the Western Conference first round. Denver and Minnesota are meeting in the postseason for the third time in four years. (cbssports.com) Jamal Murray scored 30 points and went 16 for 16 at the free-throw line, while Nikola Jokić finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his 22nd playoff triple-double. (apnews.com) The game swung in the middle quarters. Denver outscored Minnesota 68-46 across the second and third, and a 17-2 run in the third turned a 68-68 tie into an 85-70 Nuggets lead. (nba.com) Minnesota started faster, scoring 33 points in the first quarter, but managed only 17 in the third as Denver tightened the game. The Timberwolves cut the margin to 106-101 with three minutes left before Denver closed on a 10-2 burst. (espn.com) This series already carried history before the opening tip. These teams had played 28 times since the start of the 2022-23 season, including regular-season and playoff meetings, and were split 14-14 before Game 1. (nba.com) Denver’s formula looked familiar: Murray and Jokić controlled late possessions, and the Nuggets leaned on the two-man action that powered their 2023 title run. NBA.com said coach David Adelman credited those two with helping Denver “control the game at the end.” (nba.com) Game 2 is scheduled for Monday, April 20, in Denver, with the series shifting to Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday, April 23. Game 1 gave Denver the first concrete edge; the next test is whether Minnesota can keep this matchup from tilting the same way again. (cbssports.com)