**ESPN:** [recap](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401541196) – [boxscore](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401541196) – [gamecast](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401541196) | **NBA.com:** [boxscore](https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145) – [shotchart](https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145/game-charts)
||**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Final**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**MIN**|**29**|**18**|**30**|**32**|**109**|[](/MIN)|
**DEN**|**22**|**26**|**29**|**35**|**112**|[](/DEN)|
**Team**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
[](/MIN)**MIN**|**41-81 (50.6)**|**8-33 (24.2)**|**19-25 (76.0)**|**8**|**40**|**24**|**14**|**9**|**4**|**27**|**109**|
[](/DEN)**DEN**|**34-85 (40.0)**|**12-34 (35.3)**|**32-36 (88.9)**|**16**|**47**|**22**|**12**|**10**|**3**|**21**|**112**|
**[](/DEN)DEN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
M. Porter Jr.^^SF|38:54|3-10 (30.0)|2-7 (28.6)|0-0 (0.0)|1|10|0|0|2|0|3|8|+9|
A. Gordon^^PF|33:50|4-9 (44.4)|0-3 (0.0)|6-7 (85.7)|2|6|2|1|1|0|5|14|-3|
N. Jokic^^C|41:54|8-29 (27.6)|3-8 (37.5)|9-10 (90.0)|9|17|12|2|2|2|4|28|+3|
K. Caldwell-Pope^^SG|26:02|3-6 (50.0)|1-4 (25.0)|3-3 (100.0)|0|2|1|2|2|0|4|10|-6|
J. Murray^^PG|41:08|12-23 (52.2)|5-9 (55.6)|6-6 (100.0)|1|4|5|2|1|0|2|35|-5|
B. Brown|29:53|3-6 (50.0)|0-2 (0.0)|8-8 (100.0)|1|5|2|4|1|0|0|14|+8|
J. Green|18:43|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-2 (0.0)|1|1|0|0|1|1|2|0|+2|
C. Braun|9:34|1-1 (100.0)|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|2|0|1|0|0|1|3|+7|
**Totals**||**34-85 (40.0)**|**12-34 (35.3)**|**32-36 (88.9)**|**16**|**47**|**22**|**12**|**10**|**3**|**21**|**112**||
**DNP:** ***Thomas Bryant***, ***Vlatko Cancar***, ***Reggie Jackson***, ***DeAndre Jordan***, ***Zeke Nnaji***, ***Ish Smith***, ***Peyton Watson***
**Inactive:**
**[](/MIN)MIN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
N. Alexander-Walker^^SF|38:10|5-11 (45.5)|3-9 (33.3)|1-1 (100.0)|0|1|3|0|1|0|3|14|+10|
K. Towns^^PF|38:22|9-17 (52.9)|1-6 (16.7)|7-9 (77.8)|1|11|3|3|1|1|6|26|-9|
R. Gobert^^C|40:27|5-6 (83.3)|0-0 (0.0)|6-9 (66.7)|4|15|2|3|2|0|6|16|+2|
A. Edwards^^SG|39:55|13-27 (48.1)|0-6 (0.0)|3-4 (75.0)|1|8|7|1|0|2|3|29|0|
M. Conley^^PG|38:23|2-7 (28.6)|1-4 (25.0)|2-2 (100.0)|1|4|9|3|2|0|3|7|+6|
T. Prince|22:16|5-10 (50.0)|3-7 (42.9)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|3|2|1|2|13|-5|
J. Nowell|8:19|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|1|0|0|3|2|-8|
A. Rivers|13:55|1-2 (50.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|1|0|0|1|0|1|2|-13|
N. Knight|0:10|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|+2|
**Totals**||**41-81 (50.6)**|**8-33 (24.2)**|**19-25 (76.0)**|**8**|**40**|**24**|**14**|**9**|**4**|**27**|**109**||
**DNP:** ***Jordan McLaughlin***, ***Josh Minott***, ***Wendell Moore Jr.***
**Inactive:** ***Kyle Anderson***, ***Jaden McDaniels***, ***Naz Reid***
||**PITP**|**2^^nd PTS**|**FB PTS**|**BIG LD**|**BEN PTS**|**TOT TOV**|**TOV PTS**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**MIN**|58|13|10|15|17|14|22|[](/MIN)|
**DEN**|40|21|20|6|17|12|18|[](/DEN)|
**Lead Changes: 13** | **Times Tied: 10** | **Gametime: 2:40** | **Attendance: 19691**
*Officials: Scott Foster, Brian Forte, Curtis Blair, Kevin Cutler*
by BigHoneyBot
50 Comments
not too worried about cp3, booker or ayton. kd is a matchup problem though. pwat played him well (i think?) but i doubt malone is gonna give him minutes.
For Nugglife to die, kinda knew it would require beating a recent foe (Suns) and likely a historic one deep in the west (Lakers who have beat us in our 3 WCFs appearances).
At least that’s another 40+ min for KD and Book
Ok now that I’ve calmed down, Jokic shot 9/10 from FT and 3/8 from 3. He said in pgi that tonight was not his night, he did not complain about the wrist.
As long as that wrist stays tame we so good.
Peyton Watson might actually get run. He guards KD decently
4 days rest between Game 2 and Game 3 is insane. That will help the Suns a lot. We have to go 2-0 before the series going every other day
This sorry ass suns defense is not stopping the Nuggets
Idk in how many games we win, we not losing more than 3.
One series in and I’m already emotionally exhausted
KAWAII AND PEE GEE BIG FUCKING PUSSIES
Sucks we have to play the suns next instead of the Lakers. Wish the NBA would implement round reseeding
Ernie/shaq taking Suns, Kenny/chuck taking Nuggets. Alright
Shaq and EJ are picking the Suns, Kenny and Chuck are picking the Nuggets
i hope we get phoenix to lock their sub again. Nuggets in 4
Proud of the way MPJ played tonight. Obviously not a good game offensively, but stayed engaged, 10 boards, 2 steals and +9.
LETS FUCKING GOOOOO
12 MORE WINS
Clipper fan here, please beat the Suns. Their fans barely beat a starless injured team in the first round and think they gon win a chip 🙄
I like chuck’s insight about how yes, both teams have talent at the top but this series will be decided by 4-8 in the lineups. I will take Aaron Gordon, BB, CB, and KCP over Okogie, Ayton, Biyombo, and Craig 7 days a week and twice on Sunday
Is there a reason why altitude is only allowed to broadcast round one when other networks like the Lakers and Knicks have their own broadcasts in round 2?
[https://media.giphy.com/media/1EdaeWYTXeezxUDqa8/giphy.gif](https://media.giphy.com/media/1EdaeWYTXeezxUDqa8/giphy.gif)
Cp making quick decisions and ayton who can catch a ball will be interesting to adjust to after we had ant and kat throwing passes to stone hands Gobert
Flew under the radar but that AG rebound leading to the Mike 3 was just massive can’t overstate how important it was in the grand scheme of things
Brewing for a while, maybe it’s time[https://media.giphy.com/media/jrUiOE7elXcNJHZICg/giphy.gif](https://media.giphy.com/media/jrUiOE7elXcNJHZICg/giphy.gif)
Bruce Brown was overall the best in his role throughout the series. 2nd or 3rd best player in every game. Cherish our year with him. I think Braun is gonna miss him. I have a fanfic in my head where they are best buds
Wondering if Watson plays instead of Green due to matchups vs Suns
Holy shit, did y’all see Malone is now the franchise leader in playoff wins (25)??
Mavs fan here.
Please obliterate the suns.
I need a game 1 situation like with the Wolves.
AG has a hard playoffs man, going from Towns to Durant is no easy chore.
Most important fringe thing in this next series: CB gotta play 20 minutes a game. Cut Jeff minutes. CB will be able to help on Booker and CP3 more than anyone on the team not named Bruce, and maybe more since he’s an even lower mistake player on defense imo.
Just finished watching the game.
Impressive to win with Jokic and MPJ so off most of the night.
You don’t often win games in the NBA shooting 40%.
Cannot afford to have a game where we are missing that many open shots against the Suns.
I feel like CB should’ve played more minutes this series. His perimeter defense WILL be needed to help slow down Book or KD. Hes good at staying ready so that’s good but I wish he just got more reps so he’s better prepared.
Very annoying that KAT kept getting to the line by hooking AG.
Like he kept doing it because the crew refused to call it. Call it once and it’ll shut it down.
Outside of that and the bullshit moving screen on Joker it was a decently officiated game.
They did a good job rewarding guys for being straight up in the paint.
So did Ant not re-emerge from the tunnel to shake hands? That’s kinda shitty. He had a hell of a series, I’m sure the Nuggets wanted to show him some love.
I don’t understand what Norman Powell is- why do his stats look so dang good but he’s still kinda just a nobody. It’s like he completely lived up to his name or something.
Ok I sincerely hope the Jeff Green experiment is over. He’s 39% TS on 23 minutes per game, there is no excuse playing him anymore.
What a thriller more or less that one was. Crowd was electric for sure! T-Wolves can stuff it where the sun don’t shine, but they can’t stuff it here cuz it’s sunny 300+ days a year. Now onto the suns let’s kick some ass
Tim Conmanly appreciation thread?
Woooooo
AG small ball 5 is gonna kill the suns in this round, ain’t no more gobert to stop him anymore.
The Suns when they have to play a team not missing one or both of its two best players
https://preview.redd.it/sg5uzm4wg7wa1.jpeg?width=616&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=a3ed850a292fc6905e871c3176741de025111106
Missed the game coz I couldn’t wake up early. Woke up to Jokic shooting 8/29. Is this his worst shooting game ever? I couldn’t believe my eyes.
That mismatches floor around the logo is really getting to me
Y’all up for a little revenge tour???
For anyone who went to the game, how was the crowd in person?
The Suns used to spam the 3 man pickandroll with CP-Ayton while Booker snicking in between. we should kinda do that with MPJ.
Joker tied his career low in missed field goals tonight (21 – against the Hornets in the 2021 season).
Their starters played heavy minutes but looked rather fresh. Suck we couldnt find any PT for Zeke, Vlatko, or someone else. Depth should be their weakeast point, but we don’t seem to have an advantage their.
From being defended by 3xDPOY Gobert and another big man in KAT to being defended by Ayton (not a bad defender) and either KD or Craig. Hmmm… I wonder how Jokic will do in the next series.
Watching these interviews for the Clippers I feel bad, Russ actually showed up and people are going to hate on him. Ty has flaws but still was able to keep a competitive series with his two best players out, a 5 guard line up almost took a game against the suns
So I haven’t watched Suns Clippers a lot, but from what I have seen, Phoenix defense is particularly vulnerable to cutters and slashers/at the rim in general.
Clippers do not put a lot of pressure on the rim, Westbrook was probably their best guy for that.
As long as Jok’s wrist is ok he is gonna FEAST.
Edit: and so is AG. I’m expecting a lot of assists from Jok to AG for them dunkos.
Hey wait, can we get Plumblee now?
Wolves were sneaky bad matchup for Denver. Thank god for Jamal Murray my favorite Nugget. Still Jokic won this game in clutch. Playoffs are hard. Love Nuggets and love how they’re going unnoticed all season.