Nikola Jokic leads Nuggets to comeback win over T-wolves / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Credit Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Nikola Jokic scored 26 points and pulled down 19 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets (3-2) rallied for a 93-91 (23-32, 20-15, 26-28, 24-18) win over the host Minnesota Timberwolves (3-1) on Saturday night in Minneapolis.

Player of the Game EFF Points Accuracy 0-0 Rebounds Assists

Monte Morris added 16 points and five assists for Denver, which earned its second win in as many nights. Michael Porter Jr. grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds to go with seven points.

Malik Beasley scored 18 points on six three-pointers off the bench to lead Minnesota. Anthony Edwards had a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds.

The score was tied at 89 when Jokic fed Morris for a driving layup to give Denver a two-point lead with 2:04 to go. Jokic added two free throws to make it 93-89 with 1:25 remaining, and the Timberwolves could not bounce back.

The Timberwolves maintained a 73-69 lead entering the fourth quarter. Both teams scored 26 points in the third quarter to keep the score close.

A 3-pointer by Jokic gave the Nuggets a 67-64 lead with 2:44 remaining in the third quarter. The Timberwolves answered with a 9-2 run that included a trio of 3-pointers by Naz Reid, Beasley and D'Angelo Russell.

Minnesota led 47-43 at the half.

The Nuggets held an early lead after a layup by Morris gave them a 19-16 advantage with 4:24 left in the first quarter. But the Timberwolves closed the period on a 16-4 run to go ahead 32-23. Reid drained a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining in the quarter.

Denver fell behind by as many as 14 points in the second quarter before regrouping. After a dunk by Edwards gave the Timberwolves a 43-29 lead, the Nuggets answered with a 14-4 run.

Michael Porter Jr. kicked off the rally with a dunk off a feed from Jokic. Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland drilled a jump shot and lobbed an alley-oop pass to Aaron Gordon during the run.

Jokic and Towns each were whistled for a double-personal foul in the final minute of the first half. Both players battled each other for positioning and shared words on the opposite end of the court as play resumed.

Nuggets: Nikola Jokic 26 (19 REB, 7 AST, 3 BLK), Monte Morris 16, Aaron Gordon 12, Will Barton 10, Bones Hyland 8, Michael Porter Jr. 7 (12 REB).

Timberwolves: Malik Beasley 18, Anthony Edwards 14 (11 REB), Karl-Anthony Towns 14 (8 REB), D'Angelo Russell 14, Naz Reid 12.

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