Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic struggled against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Wolves’ rotation of big men particularly made life hard for him, with Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid all contributing to slow him down.
Obviously, the Timberwolves’ size is something the Jokic and the Nuggets will have to solve when they meet again in Game 2. If not, it could be problematic for them amid their bid to defend their title. Denver lost Game 1, 106-99, with the Joker finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and three steals.
While those numbers look typical for Jokic on the surface, a deeper look suggests otherwise. He actually shot 11-of-25 from the field and had seven turnovers, which is pretty uncharacteristic for him. The Nuggets superstar tallied a plus-minus rating of -12, numbers that should raise some concerns since Jokic has always been the most efficient player in the league.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Jokic was naturally asked about the Nuggets’ problem handling the Timberwolves’ big men. It doesn’t look like he’s too worried, though, as he lived up to his Joker nickname and hilariously shared the only solution he could think of–albeit impossible.
“I can duplicate two of myself, and then I can be fresh. When they sub another guy, I can sub too,” Jokic shared.
Obviously, Jokic can’t duplicate himself–no matter how hard the Nuggets wish for it. With that being said, the Nuggets cannot be too reliant on him to keep carrying the team.
Both Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. scored in double digits in the game, but with the Timberwolves trying to prevent Nikola Jokic from getting good looks, they have to be more aggressive offensively. Both players took less than 27 shots combined and made 12 in total–that’s almost as much as Jokic’s numbers!
Aaron Gordon needs to find his rhythm as well after scoring just nine points and struggling defensively. He had the worst plus-minus rating on the team at -23, with Anthony Edwards consistently punishing him whenever the Nuggets were on defense.
Nikola Jokic’s stern message to Nuggets
All jokes aside, Jokic made sure to emphasize one thing: he’s not happy about losing.
When talking about their Game 1 loss, the Serbian center told reporters that losing “doesn’t motivate” him. No one wants to lose, obviously. However, it is a strong statement from Jokic and a blunt message for the rest of the team.
The Timberwolves won’t be easy opponents. They are battle-tested and don’t easily collapse unlike the Los Angeles Lakers. With that being said, hopes are high that the Game 1 loss will serve as a wake-up call for them. They already lost the homecourt advantage, and they can’t allow Anthony Edwards and Minnesota to continue their dominance before taking the series to their own turf.
“We need to do a better job of making them make tough shots, maybe make the extra pass,” Jokic added on what the Nuggets need to do in order to bounce back, per NBA.com.
For Nuggets coach Michael Malone, he’s seeking for more discipline from his players.
“Naz Reid got going. Karl-Anthony Towns got going. Mike Conley got going–where Anthony Edwards carried the day in that first half. But the second half I just felt not nearly enough discipline and physicality and they were able to get whatever they wanted,” Malone said.
Game 2 of the Nuggets-Timberwolves series is scheduled for Monday. By then, everyone will get to see if Denver has learned their Game 1 lessons.
