It’s a lovely thing when Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are in crunch time.
When the game is close, the Nuggets never show a hint of weakness. At the most tense times of a game, they remain composed, at ease, and cool. It results from playing together for countless hours. rep after rep after rep. All over the floor: talent, synergy, and connectivity.
The Nuggets’ crucial 116-107 victory over the Timberwolves at Ball Arena on Wednesday night probably decided the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves had to contend with the Nuggets’ death machine.
With seven minutes left in regulation, the Nuggets had a 93-87 lead against the Timberwolves. The game had two scores.
Then, against the NBA’s top defense, Denver scored on ten consecutive possessions to seal one of the most eagerly awaited regular-season matches.
Although it was a masterclass, we had seen similar ones numerous times before.
“They are the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA for a reason,” Jokic said. “They are so versatile, they have guys that have a long wingspan, they are athletic, they can guard multiple positions. They are a really tough team to beat.”
This felt like a playoff game. It was a playoff atmosphere, and Jokic came to play. He tallied 41 points on a pristine 16-20 shooting against the likely Defensive Player of the Year who I think defends him better 1-on-1 than anyone.
Jokic barely felt Gobert. It was another statement MVP performance on national TV that kept the Nuggets in control of their own destiny for the top spot in the conference. If Denver finishes the season 2-0, the Nuggets win the West.
In the Nuggets’ postgame locker room, Peyton Watson was asked about Jokic’s night. He pointed across the locker room and started making goat noises.
Jokic, with his AirPods in, looked over, smiled, and walked out of sight.
“Rudy Gobert is going to be a Hall of Fame player one day,” Michael Malone said. “He’s going to be regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation…nobody can guard Nikola 1-on-1.”
“Here in Denver, we know what we have. We have the best player in the world.”
But the Nuggets have a lot more than that.
Jamal Murray, who it still doesn’t sound like is 100% healthy, begged Malone to let him play against Minnesota after also playing Tuesday in Utah on the front end of Denver’s back-to-back.
He finished with 20 points and 6 assists.
“I wasn’t sitting out this game,” Murray said.
Then, there was the bench. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson were the heroes of this game.
Watson finished with six blocks in 23 minutes. Braun had a pair of thunderous dunks in the fourth quarter. One was with his left hand that put Gobert on a poster.
The founding members of the Nuggets’ Project Dynasty closed the fourth quarter instead of Denver’s two best defenders (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon). They deserved to.
They helped lead the Nuggets to a win over the team that most inside Denver’s locker room believe is its toughest matchup in the West.
“I have a feeling that we’re probably going to see that team again in the playoffs,” Malone said. “It will be a hell of a series because they’re a very good team. They’re well coached and they have a lot of talent over there.”
