Nuggets host Timberwolves in Game 2 after physical series opener

Jamal Murray’s 30-point night and Nikola Jokic’s triple-double left Denver in firm control of the first-round series, and Minnesota now has to answer a more basic question than shot-making: can it defend the Nuggets without losing the physical battle that decided Game 1?

The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday, April 18, after trailing by 10 points after the first quarter and then taking over through the second and third periods. Murray went 16-for-16 from the free-throw line, while Jokic finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, a stat line that underscored how quickly Denver can tilt a game when its offense is flowing through him and its guards are getting downhill.

The tone was set early by a first quarter filled with officiating flashpoints. The game included two challenges, a technical foul on interim Denver coach David Adelman and a flagrant foul on Minnesota wing Jaden McDaniels for not giving Murray enough room to land on a long jumper. Afterward, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called Murray’s 16 free throws “a head scratcher,” and the disparity became one of the clearest pressure points entering Game 2.

That is where the matchup gets more complicated for Minnesota. The Timberwolves cannot afford to let Murray turn contact into a steady stream of points at the stripe, especially when Jokic is already punishing every breakdown with scoring and passing. Denver also entered the postseason healthier than it had been for much of the regular season, with Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson all back after missing significant time. That gives the Nuggets more lineup stability, more size and more options to absorb Minnesota’s pressure.

The teams split their four regular-season meetings in 2025-26, but the playoff context is different. This was the third postseason meeting between Denver and Minnesota in four seasons, and Game 2 was scheduled for Monday, April 20, at 10:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. MDT on NBC and Peacock at Ball Arena. Game 3 is set for Thursday, April 23, in Minneapolis. If Minnesota cannot tighten its foul discipline and meet Denver’s physicality on equal terms, the opener suggested the Nuggets may have already found the series edge that matters most.