Nikola Jokic’s triple double pushes Nuggets past T-Wolves, 120-111, as Denver eyes first-round sweep

Nikola Jokic got himself a triple double in Denver’s 120-11 win against Minnesota, as the top-seeded Nuggets eye a first-round sweep against the struggling T-Wolves.

‘The Joker’ dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists in Denver’s third win in a row against eighth-seeded Minnesota. Michael Porter Jr. was the Nuggets’ second-highest scorer of Friday night’s away win with 25 points, and nearly got himself a double-double, only to be a rebound short (9) of doing so. 

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards’ 36-point display wasn’t enough to earn what could’ve been a precious home win for his team, with the series looking likely to close in either four or five games. 

No team has comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the postseason in NBA history.

Karl-Anthony Towns registered 27 points for the T-Wolves. Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 10 rebounds to get himself a rare postseason double-double.

Nikola Jokic dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists in Denver’s away win vs. Minnesota

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr had 25 points and nine rebounds in the Nuggets win

T-Wolves center Karl-Anthony Towns holds the ball in frustration in the second half of Game 3

Both teams will battle again for Game 4 at Target Center on Sunday, with tickets now as low as $20. 

Bruce Brown had 12 points to lead Denver’s 29-10 edge in bench points, and the Nuggets shot a hard-to-beat 57 percent  from the field.

With the Nuggets holding their first 2-0 lead in nine playoff series under Mike Malone, their message from the coach was to keep the throttle on full and not give the underdog Wolves extra confidence.

The Western Conference’s top team complied by shooting like its seeding depended on it and outjumping the Wolves for just about every long rebound. The Nuggets had two 9-0 runs in the first half and could hardly do anything wrong, starting the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots and building a 13-point lead.

Then Edwards, who had 41 points in Game 2 for the franchise playoffs record, single-handedly brought the Wolves back with the kind of starburst only players like him are capable of.

After a lazy pass by Towns was picked off by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Edwards hustled for the block and quickly converted a Euro-step layup on the other end. 

Anthony Edwards’ 36-point display wasn’t enough to earn what could’ve been a precious home win for Minnesota

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray shoots while defended by T-Wolves guard Mike Conley

The Wolves kept up the momentum and cut the lead to 61-55 right before halftime. They were still within six points at the end of the third quarter.

The Wolves won their play-in game here a week ago by going big on the backs of Towns and Gobert, the unlikely pairing they created when former Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly bolted for the same job in Minnesota and swung a blockbuster trade for Gobert.

The Wolves attacked the basket better than they did in the first two games, and Towns drew Jokic’s fourth foul with 5:51 left in the third quarter, but the 7-foot Serb is just too skilled – and too much of a load – to get beat that way.

The two-time reigning NBA MVP led the league with 29 triple-doubles during the regular season.