Nuggets win thriller over Timberwolves behind Jokic's near triple-double

DENVER – The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves tipped off at the Pepsi Center with each team looking to gain momentum. Ultimately the Nuggets came out with a 105-103 victory behind Nikola Jokic‘s near triple-double and the heads-up play of Gary Harris, who finished with 17 quiet points and four rebounds.

Out of the gate, the Nuggets were playing atrocious defense. They started with Wilson Chandler, who had 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, defending Karl-Anthony Towns while sending help in his direction. Towns calmly found the open man every time he was doubled and it led to countless open shots for the Timberwolves and ultimately a triple-double for Towns.

He finished with 15 points 11 rebounds 10 assists. Andrew Wiggins, who finished with 25 points and five assists, was the main beneficiary scoring 15 first quarter points while the Timberwolves shot 64 percent from the field in the first frame. The first quarter ended with the Nuggets trailing 31-22.

The second quarter started with a move not seen in the prior four games. Malone elected to put Jusuf Nurkic into the game and was rewarded with a much better defensive effort. Nurkic finished with four points and four rebounds in just eight minutes. 

“I wanted to reward him because it is not easy not playing and Nurk has a lot of pride. He started the first 25 games of the year, we made a lineup change, and prior to tonight we’ve gone 4-2. We’ve played pretty good basketball,” Michael Malone said after the victory. “His attitude has been terrific, he has been working his butt off, in yesterday’s we scrimmaged and he looked really good. With their bigs and their physicality, I think we could benefit from having him. We will need him against Philadelphia and we will need him probably against Sacramento when they come in.”

The Nuggets started the second quarter on a 16-8 run and tied the game at 37 behind Nurkic’s defensive presence and the Jamal Murray‘s active hands on defense that directly led to a 6-0 run to tie the game. Murray finished the game with seven points and three steals.

“I thought Jamal Murray played a really good game tonight. Probably his best game in a while,” Malone said. “I hated taking him out when I did because he had some good moments defensively and offensively.”

Not only did Nurkic get his first action in four games but Malone decided to add Jokic to the mix and go with the infamous Balkan Buddy Ball front court and immediately gave up a 7-2 run to Minnesota and Nurkic was quickly subbed out for Chandler.The Nuggets started to play defense and forced their way back into the game by giving up only 18 second-quarter points to Minnesota. They went into the half tied at 49.

The third quarter started with the Nuggets and Timberwolves trading buckets highlighted by dunks from both Mudiay, who had 11 points, five assists and three rebounds, and Harris. Jokic then took the game into his own hands, finishing with 16 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds, and creating a plethora of open looks for all of his teammates that shared the floor with him. By the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets led 81-73.

“I don’t know if there is a ceiling or not. I just know I would love to play with him,” Malone said of Jokic. “If you listen to our bench we are always yelling cut, cut, cut. If you cut he will find you and there is a good chance that when he finds you that your gonna have a layup. All of our guys got a couple layups off of him. 16 points 11 assists anreboundsonds and he is just getting better and better.”

To start the fourth quarter Malone elected to play Faried at center against Towns and it went about as terrible as you would expect. The Nuggets were suddenly up only four points and Malone went back to Jokic with 8:05 left in the game. The Nuggets proceeded to expand their lead to 10 points behind Jokic’s play on both ends of the court and this insane transition assist, his 10th of the night.

Nikola Jokic’s 10th assist, and it was a beauty https://t.co/XK6VfY2sE3

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) December 29, 2016

Then, the Nuggets’ offense began to stutter. After Wiggins missed both free throws Towns corralled the offensive rebound and put-back layup and suddenly the Nuggets lead was just one point with one minute remaining after two questionable fouls. Wiggins was fouled again and made one of two and the game was tied at 103.

Danilo Gallinari then hit a shot that proves the basketball gods were smiling on the Nuggets tonight. He got isolated on Wiggins and banked in a fallaway jump shot to put the Nuggets up 105-103.

“That was obviously Gallo’s shot,” Malone said.”I asked if he called bank; he didn’t. No surprise there.”

Wiggins got obliterated by a Wilson Chandler block on the other end and Harris made one of the smartest plays of the year by diving out of bounds for the lose ball and throwing it as far into the backcourt as possible to shave off precious seconds. Zach LaVine took a last second three and it bounced off the front of the rim and the Nuggets win their second straight close game.

“Two things happen. Wilson Chandler makes an unbelievable play at the rim to block Wiggins who appears to have an easy layup or a dunk. Then Gary Harris has the presence of mind to throw the ball down the court,” Malone said of the final dequence. “Throwing that ball all the way down the court takes up valuable time and obviously we were lucky enough for Zach LaVine miss that shot at the end.”

Quote of the Night

Malone on Jamal Murray playing better when he is mad:

“When he gets pissed he plays well. I joke around about it but I have to start insulting him or making fun of Canada.”

What’s Next

The Denver Nuggets prepare to take on Joel “The Process” Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Pepsi Center on Friday, Dec. 30th