Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic issues reality check after losing to Timberwolves backups

The Denver Nuggets’ season ended Thursday night with a 110-98 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 6, closing the first-round series 4-2.

The sixth-seeded Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference semifinals to face the San Antonio Spurs, while the third-seeded Nuggets, 2023 NBA champions, exited the postseason. Minnesota achieved the win while missing Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kyle Anderson.

Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves with 32 points and 10 rebounds on 13-of-25 shooting, adding two steals in 45 minutes. Terrence Shannon Jr. contributed 24 points and six rebounds in a surprise start, Julius Randle scored 18 points, Naz Reid added 15 points, and Rudy Gobert recorded 10 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.

Denver was led by Nikola Jokic with 28 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, Cameron Johnson contributed 27 points and eight rebounds, while Jamal Murray finished with 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting.

Much of Minnesota’s success came in the paint, where they outscored the Nuggets 64-40 and won the rebounding battle 50-33. The Timberwolves led 57-50 at halftime after a 28-20 second-quarter advantage. In the closing stretch, Minnesota was up 103-97 after a Terrence Shannon three-point play with under two minutes remaining, before McDaniels widened the margin with a mid-range jumper for 105-98 and later intercepted a Jokic pass to secure possession.

After the loss, when asked how far the team is from contending, Jokic made an honest admission:

“I mean we just lost in the first round, so I think we are far away,” the three-time MVP said.

The Nuggets dropped four of the last five games after winning Game 1, with Murray finishing the series shooting 35.6% from the field and 26.1% from three-point range. Jokic also shot poorly from deep, shooting 19.4% on threes across the series, as McDaniels repeatedly limited Murray’s effectiveness defensively.

With the victory, the Timberwolves reached the Western semifinals for a third straight season despite multiple injuries and will now prepare for the Spurs, while Denver’s postseason ends after failing to sustain its early-series advantage.

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