2026 NBA Playoffs: Suddenly healthy Nuggets show Timberwolves and West they’ll be tough
DENVER — Ten minutes into Saturday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Denver Nuggets were in a bad situation.
Minnesota had controlled the first quarter on the road, forcing tough shots and errors and limiting three-time MVP Nikola Jokić to three points and three turnovers. And Aaron Gordon — the 6-foot-8 sparkplug who was a difference-maker in Denver’s 2023 championship run — was suddenly unavailable.
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Gordon committed his third foul by swinging his elbows and moving Mike Conley on a post-up. Coach David Adelman protested in frustration and committed a technical foul.
The Nuggets entered the second quarter with a score of 33-23 and Gordon was relegated to the bench. It was a defining moment early in the game and the series could have spiraled out of control.
The Nuggets are building on experience with small personnel
It was also a familiar place for these Nuggets, whose 2025-26 season was plagued by a series of injuries to key players. Gordon (46 games missed), Christian Braun (38), Cameron Johnson (28) and Jokić (17) have all faced extended absences throughout the season.
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This is a team that has battled for the No. 1 seed. 3 in a loaded West despite those absences and learned to play with – or without – depending on who was in the lineup on any given night.
So will Gordon be benched in early trouble? It wasn’t a big deal. The Nuggets have a lot of this type of experience. And there was no downward spiral for Denver. Instead, the Nuggets narrowed their early deficit and eventually took control with a 116-105 win.
With Gordon sitting out the entire second quarter and Jokić continuing to struggle offensively (six points, four turnovers in the first half), Denver’s offense exploded to a 39-29 lead to send the game tied at 62 at halftime.
(AAron Ontiveroz via Getty Images)
Jamal Murray, the steady hand of the Nuggets
Jamal Murray, who played 75 games and was the bond that bound Denver’s swinging lineups all season, righted the ship. Murray led the Nuggets with 17 first-half points, largely getting to the line and converting all 11 first-half free throws.
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It was a key contribution from the first All-Star, who just finished the best regular season of his career as the only consistent force in Denver’s starting lineup. And it allowed the Nuggets to stabilize before taking control in the third quarter.
“I’m always comfortable,” Murray said after the game about playing different lineups this season. “It’s just who’s in the game on defense and our rotations, guys in and out of different roles, guys trying to find their rhythm because they haven’t played in a while.
“I don’t think this has anything to do with me. I go out there and play, and whoever’s in the game is in the game. … Then I make the basket. I try not to think too much.”
Basket he made Saturday on his way to a career-high 30 points along with seven assists. And he did so despite his offensive struggles by shooting 0-for-8 from 3.
Instead, Murray pressured his defenders, attacked the basket and got to the free throw line 16 times, resulting in a night in which the Nuggets shot 30 of 33 (90.9%) from the stripe. Their success at the line allowed the Nuggets to overcome 1-of-17 shooting from long range in the second half.
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Gordon, Jokić arrive immediately after the break
Murray’s steady hand in the second quarter set up Gordon and Jokić to pace a third quarter that allowed the Nuggets to take control.
Jokić opened the third with a layup to continue Denver’s momentum from the second quarter. It set the tone for a 14-0 Nuggets run that gave them an 82-68 lead. Gordon, free from the shackles of the first half, capped off the run with a dunk that sent the Denver crowd into a frenzy.
The game wasn’t over yet at that point. Partly due to Denver’s struggles from the 3-point line, the Timberwolves cut the deficit to 97-95 midway through the fourth quarter.
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But Jokić quelled Minnesota’s rally with a 5-0 run that featured an and-1 layup on Rudy Gobert, who was the source of much of his first-half frustration.
Once the game was over, Jokić finished where he usually does, posting a triple-double of 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Gordon had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists after being limited to just 10 minutes in the first half. And the Nuggets held a 1-0 series lead.
“We know what it is,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after the game about what Gordon means for Denver’s lineup. “When Aaron plays, we’re a different team. It’s just the end result.
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“It’s not the stats. It’s the feel. We feel bigger because we are. His ball handling, the way he lifts the ball against pressure.”
Healthy nuggets are dangerous
After playing much of the season short-handed, the Nuggets are suddenly relatively healthy.
Braun and Johnson were key contributors Saturday night along with Jokić and Gordon. Johnson helped Murray keep the ship afloat with 10 first-half points on his way to 12 in the game.
Braun had 12 points and eight rebounds while taking on perhaps the game’s toughest role as the primary defender on Anthony Edwards. He largely accomplished that by limiting the Minnesota All-Star to 22 points on 7-of-19 shooting.
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Jokić described Braun’s defense on Edwards as “annoying”. Adelman called it a winner.
“When you defend the other team’s best player and still get back in the mix and come up with defensive rebounds, that wins playoff games,” Adelman said. “It’s not sexy. It’s just the facts.”
Also back for the Nuggets was reserve Spencer Jones, who was a game-time decision due to a hamstring strain that sidelined him for the final six games of the season. He played just nine minutes, but scored five critical points in the first half to help spark Denver’s rally.
Peyton Watson was the only rotation player unavailable for the Nuggets on Saturday, and he could miss the entire postseason with a lingering hamstring injury. But this is a Nuggets team with championship experience featuring in most of its key elements.
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He also has experience figuring out how to win when those players aren’t available. He adds to a lineup that will be tough for the Timberwolves and should serve as a warning to the rest of a loaded Western Conference playoff field.
Game 2 is scheduled for 10:30 pm ET in Denver.