**ESPN:** [recap](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401585699) – [boxscore](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401585699) – [gamecast](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401585699) | **NBA.com:** [boxscore](https://www.nba.com/game/0022301071) – [shotchart](https://www.nba.com/game/0022301071/game-charts)
||**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Final**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**MIN**|**33**|**29**|**25**|**24**|**111**|[](/MIN)|
**DEN**|**26**|**17**|**21**|**34**|**98**|[](/DEN)|
**Team**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
[](/MIN)**MIN**|**38-74 (51.4)**|**9-28 (32.1)**|**26-37 (70.3)**|**6**|**39**|**28**|**7**|**6**|**7**|**20**|**111**|
[](/DEN)**DEN**|**35-88 (39.8)**|**8-28 (28.6)**|**20-27 (74.1)**|**13**|**46**|**29**|**12**|**6**|**1**|**24**|**98**|
**[](/DEN)DEN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
M. Porter Jr.^^SF|35:44|5-10 (50.0)|2-5 (40.0)|2-2 (100.0)|1|6|4|0|1|0|2|14|-7|
A. Gordon^^PF|30:59|5-9 (55.6)|2-4 (50.0)|2-4 (50.0)|1|7|4|4|0|0|4|14|-5|
N. Jokic^^C|36:58|11-24 (45.8)|0-3 (0.0)|10-13 (76.9)|1|10|5|4|2|1|2|32|-9|
K. Caldwell-Pope^^SG|27:31|0-3 (0.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0-1 (0.0)|1|3|2|0|0|0|1|0|-15|
R. Jackson^^PG|36:30|4-15 (26.7)|2-5 (40.0)|2-2 (100.0)|2|4|10|3|2|0|6|12|-2|
C. Gillespie|4:44|0-1 (0.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|1|0|-8|
C. Braun|26:22|2-10 (20.0)|1-3 (33.3)|3-4 (75.0)|4|5|2|0|0|0|5|8|-6|
P. Watson|11:14|0-2 (0.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|3|1|0|0|0|0|0|-14|
J. Holiday|15:52|2-5 (40.0)|1-4 (25.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|0|0|1|0|2|5|-3|
D. Jordan|10:16|5-7 (71.4)|0-0 (0.0)|1-1 (100.0)|3|7|0|1|0|0|1|11|-6|
J. Strawther|0:46|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|+2|
H. Tyson|0:46|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|2|+2|
B. Key|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|+2|
J. Pickett|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|1|0|0|0|0|0|+2|
J. Huff|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|+2|
**Totals**||**35-88 (39.8)**|**8-28 (28.6)**|**20-27 (74.1)**|**13**|**46**|**29**|**12**|**6**|**1**|**24**|**98**||
**DNP:**
**Inactive:** ***Vlatko Cancar***, ***Jamal Murray***, ***Zeke Nnaji***
**[](/MIN)MIN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
J. McDaniels^^SF|30:57|7-10 (70.0)|1-3 (33.3)|2-2 (100.0)|0|3|3|0|1|0|2|17|+9|
N. Reid^^PF|33:09|2-12 (16.7)|0-5 (0.0)|3-4 (75.0)|0|6|2|1|2|0|3|7|+14|
R. Gobert^^C|34:48|7-8 (87.5)|0-0 (0.0)|7-15 (46.7)|3|11|2|0|0|3|5|21|+1|
A. Edwards^^SG|39:20|8-19 (42.1)|0-8 (0.0)|9-10 (90.0)|1|5|5|2|3|0|2|25|+11|
M. Conley^^PG|31:55|8-12 (66.7)|5-6 (83.3)|2-2 (100.0)|0|3|8|2|0|0|3|23|+6|
K. Anderson|26:31|1-3 (33.3)|0-0 (0.0)|3-4 (75.0)|0|3|7|1|0|2|3|5|+15|
M. Morris|10:36|1-2 (50.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|2|0|0|0|0|0|2|+5|
N. Alexander-Walker|16:42|2-6 (33.3)|2-4 (50.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|1|0|1|0|1|1|6|+6|
J. McLaughlin|12:58|2-2 (100.0)|1-1 (100.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|4|1|0|0|0|1|5|+6|
W. Moore Jr.|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|-2|
J. Minott|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|1|0|0|-2|
L. Miller|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|-2|
L. Garza|0:46|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|-2|
**Totals**||**38-74 (51.4)**|**9-28 (32.1)**|**26-37 (70.3)**|**6**|**39**|**28**|**7**|**6**|**7**|**20**|**111**||
**DNP:** ***T.J. Warren***
**Inactive:** ***Jaylen Clark***, ***Daishen Nix***, ***Karl-Anthony Towns***
||**PITP**|**2^^nd PTS**|**FB PTS**|**BIG LD**|**BEN PTS**|**TOT TOV**|**TOV PTS**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**MIN**|40|6|15|26|18|9|13|[](/MIN)|
**DEN**|50|10|4|2|26|13|10|[](/DEN)|
**Lead Changes: 3** | **Times Tied: 2** | **Gametime: 2:14** | **Attendance: 19844**
*Officials: John Goble, Karl Lane, Scott Twardoski*
by BigHoneyBot
49 Comments
Nuggets finished last season with a 7-9 record in the last 16 games. Not moved or worried in any way.
_oh but we need home court advantage!!!_ no, I don’t think we need it. I think we drop an extra game a series without it, but I’d still take the nuggets over anyone in 7 games even without HCA.
_oh, but it’ll be harder!!!_ fucking great! Gotta be the best to be the best.
We need Jamal back, Like bad.
I hate minnesota fans, how can you talk shit when the only time you’ve won was with the twins in the late 80s and 90s, garbage ass sports city
I’m just here to be disingenuous about tolerable criticism vs. constant negativity, because I know ball and I am the victim here
E: in case it isn’t clear, this is a comment making fun of the people who act like the sub’s anti-doomer stance means that you can’t ever say anything negative about the team. You can! It just shouldn’t be 100% of what you say. No one here has a problem with occasional criticism, I don’t think. People have a problem with nonstop criticism. They’re not the same.
Thanks for coming out
So our next 8 games are favorable with one at then send vs Minny. Let’s get Jamal back, finish the season strong, and get our lick back against Minny. If we were able to win the chip last year playing like complete ass I’m not worried unless proven otherwise in the playoffs.
Reggie Jackson is really just terrible
at least someone was focused tonight
https://i.redd.it/8srwqjs27erc1.gif
At least we won the rebounding battle tonight
Ok hear me out. I saw a movie where Hernangomez beat down Ant. When it mattered. We should see if Juancho fits here.
The starters look gassed am I right
Reggie shot 4/15 including that random 3 early in the shot clock when we had a reasonable fighting chance. Just so we’re all clear
Sad game make sad. Avs and Nuggets hurt me the last couple days. I hope they come out super hot the next few
With the 1 seed looking like a pipe dream, time to focus on more pressing matters: Get Jamal healthy, fix Jok’s wrist/hand/arm thing, get Watson to not be an absolute zero on offense, Moach contingency in case Reggie becomes really unplayable even for the 8-10 non-Jamal minutes.
This week fuckin SUCKED
The starters seem completely gassed, similar to right before the all star break. People are going to beat their chests about the Suns and Wolves having our number, but I don’t think you can take a ton from these games.
My main concern is Murray’s health and him coming back early enough to keep his conditioning for the playoffs. Would be nice to get Jokic some rest too but that doesn’t seem likely now without falling.
Made them earn it in the end which I guess is a silver lining. Subpar to bad games from everyone except maybe MPJ and Jok.
Two games in a row that the bench unit let’s go of the rope in the second quarter. Don’t think that Jokic and 4 bench guys unit is gonna work to close the season. Would be dope if there were at least two starters out there to stabilize that bench. Guess technically Reggie out there would make it two starters, but would like to see two out here still when Jamal gets back. Not much else to take from the game, other than the Nuggs really miss Jamal rn.
Got one more game against the Timberwolves and a light schedule, which I think should be good enough to get the 2 seed. Should be fine with that, don’t think Nuggets need the one seed after what they proved they could do in the run last year. Tough couple games, just need to get healthy. Go Nuggs!
This team is about as deep as kiddie pool.
[removed]
If you don’t understand the importance of securing the 1 seed, I don’t know what to tell you
If you don’t think was basically a must win game, I don’t know what you tell you
If you don’t think the Wolves are a problem because Murray didn’t play, ignoring how KAT didn’t play for them either, I don’t know what to tell you
It’s fair to be concerned
Vic Lombardi painting curse continues.
I’m fine with 3 seed. Just be healthy and rested
Obviously would love to have that one seed but I think health and the ability of our bench is more important.
0-74 in moral victories. Fuck!!
Yall know who to fire.
11.1% from three over PWat’s last 15 – brutal
This just proves that Jamal is the real MVP of this team! It seems like they always play much worse in games where he doesn’t play as opposed to the ones Jokic doesn’t play.
Well that was icky
The only thing that annoyed me really was letting Mike Conley just do w/e. You can force Ant to beat you but if you let Mike come off screens into wide open space you’re going to lose 9/10 times.
Minny fans won’t be brigading in the playoffs
D(oom)NVR
Thunder Fan here in peace. We were all Nuggets Fans tonight rooting for you all to get the dub. We avenged you all for the Suns though if it helps. I haven’t had a chance to watch your highlights, but hopefully everyone stayed healthy and at least it wasn’t a blowout. Much love Denver homies 💛💙🧡 y’all are the final boss of the playoffs so don’t let one bad week bring you all down!
Yeah this loss sucks but we’re the fuckin Champs. I ain’t losing sleep over the Timberpoops. Nuggs win this series against them again this year.
Kings, wtf
Man we got mundered again. We look helpless without Jamal.
The way we are finishing the season, we will have to settle for 3rd seed. We still likely have a few more losses before the season wraps.
I would honestly rather play like shit now and have people pile on us and doubt us versus a month from now
Minnesota’s remaining schedule is a cakewalk. So id feel super confident if I were them..the thunder are essentially 2 games ahead. Feels like we clinch the 3 seed and just punt the rest of the games
https://preview.redd.it/kwymmmjkberc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b528c35437233fd9c7886209bdae61a2eee9fb4a
This shit is so fucking dumb like this can’t be fr
“Surprised he played” wow I wonder who could’ve stopped him from playing but instead you play the guy with a wrist injury that’s“really bothering him” 37 MINUTES in a game that was effectively over with about 6-7 minutes left
Like this gotta be a fuckin joke
Also cavs are not who this team needs to see next. We bout to get mundered 3 times in a row
Looks like the Nuggets will be playing Luka and Kyrie in the first round.
M
lol and people are fine with getting the third seed and drawing luka and kyrie in the first round
Put 8 racks on Duke tonight on my Howie Ratner shit, thank god that hit because this nuggets game had me despondent
Sorry to ruin the mood in here, but Kings lose. Magic Number is down to 1. Next win clinches playoffs for Denver. Something the Wolves and Thunder still haven’t clinched yet either, btw.
After watching all season it’s been a bummer to feel more resentment for small market fans coming in to the sub to brigade and talk shit than Lakers, Warriors, Heat or Mavs fans. Wolves, Thunder and Kings fans especially unbearable
Luka mvp probably smh. Is what it is ig lol
Someone in this thread just told someone to become a fan of another team because they said that the Timberwolves will now likely get the 1 seed because of their easy remaining schedule
Some very sensitive people in this thread
Thunder get the Knicks. Minnesota gets Chicago. Nuggets get Cavs. Not out of the realm of possibilities that the Nuggets are back in the driver’s seat before the end of the month.
Suck it Doomers!!
Timberwolves fans have radicalised me
Yes, we have a solid chance of winning a title this year. However, that is in SPITE of the moves Booth has made since the last trade deadline, and I’m deeply annoyed that a bunch of moves that looked extremely iffy WHEN they happened have proved to be as dumb as they appeared.
There is also a difference between mistakes that are understandable misses (Bol Bol, Bones, McGee which happened before the Mal injury) and shit that makes 0 sense the minute it happened. Even passing on Mitchell (which I flipped my shit over as it happened) and OG (most of you were flipping your shit) made since as a calulated), intel based gamble that OG would still be there. Was the gamble worth it? No. But considering it had worked a couple years prior with Nurk + Harris one can at least understand it.
I think my anger over letting Tim go has always been there and was centered around 3 things— a) the belief we would have made the finals sooner if Mal had stayed healthy b) knowing that new GM’s always having a learning curve that means making lots of mistakes and c) knowing that the KCP trade was a done deal 2 months before the Tim Conley rumors started. Mares told me that Barton + Monte was going to happen until the Nuggets realized Mal wasn’t coming back (and that they would need Monte), but that he was pretty certain it was going to happen over the summer.
Which means that I’ve always given credit for the full starting 5 to Tim. And meanwhile, outside of the Brown signing (which I was ecstatic over) and the Braun pick (which I liked), every single Booth transaction has left me underwhelmed, confused or angry.
The minute Bones rumors started, I said that it was going to be vital to get a backup PG via trade because the FA market for this past summer was barren at the position. And that I thought Brown was probably gone for more $. We then proceeded to trade both of the 2nds that we got for Bones AND another for Thomas Bryant. A guy that Malone was unlikely to play (based off the McGee experience) and was not capable of being in a playoff rotation.
Those 3 seconds + Zeke could have gotten us a 2nd draft guy similar to the move Tim pulled off with NAW or at least a veteran with something left in the tank. Instead, we dedicated 4m million that could have been spent on Eubanks or Saric (which were the names I gave when you all asked who I’d rather we have signed) to Reggie despite 3 years of evidence he was washed.
Using the 3 picks you have to alleviate the backcourt situation (when you know Murray is going to need time off) on a backup big made ZERO sense. Trusting that RJ could be the guy, made ZERO sense. Drafting a 24 year old point guard out of the belief that he could compete with RJ for minutes made ZERO sense. And on top of that, signing Holiday was deeply underwhelming considering we were coming off a title and there is a LONG history of ring chasers in this league.
Furthermore, using our 27 first on what amounts to 3 seconds was risky. Chasing a “dynasty” when you only have KCP under contract for one more season and have two young studs with major injury histories was extremely risky.
Against the Suns, Eubanks has repeatedly outplayed anyone on our bench. Bol Bol of all fucking people, outplayed our entire bench last game. Tonight the bench, again, got smoked. Pickett hasn’t even been considered as an option behind RJ and failed to even stand out in the G League. Watson and Braun have failed to prove they can step into a bigger role with Brown gone. There are 0 bench players I actually trust going into the playoffs.
Some of these moves may work out long term. Watson, Strawther and Braun in particular. But not having better vets or 2nd draft guys around them is a very real failure.
Meanwhile, Connelly has been all aces with the Wolves. Yes, he gave up a bit too much for Rudy. Rudy has also been excellent now that he’s healthy, and they are also going to be able to flip Town for assets. Reid is on a great contract. Connley + NAW were snagged for fucking Dlo. Shake and a 2nd or two were turned into Monte Morris. Kyle Anderson was an elite use of their MLE.
So yes, I think it was a mistake to let the guy who laid the foundation for all 5 of our starters, has a proven track record of snagging guys in the 2nd round and has learned his way into killing it on the margins and presuming that Booth wasn’t going to have a learning curve of his own at a time where the margins have never been more important… in the entirety of franchise history.