There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday.

Do you believe?

Coach Michael Malone has leaned on this more than Ted Lasso over the last week. The Nuggets are not a Gucci knockoff. They have been authentic for a calendar year. They have exceeded expectations, and returning home in front of a full-throat crowd at Ball Arena they will live up to their warranty. It’s what they do until they don’t.

And why waste time thinking they won’t? Nuggets Nation will lose fingernails over the next few days. And surely the Sunday bottomless mimosas will feature orange-flavored liqueur and pink-colored Pepto-Bismol.

Fans fret. They worry. It’s what they do. This pretzled passion is what makes sports so enjoyable and miserable.

But this is not about them, Nuggets. It’s about you.

And these humbled players were not running hot. Nor were they running from the sobering reality that they suffered the largest loss in NBA history by a defending champion. Even before Jokic soaked his feet in a red tub of ice, he was “cool” with what happened.

“They beat our ass. They were better in every segment of the game,” Jokic said. “When you lose by 45, it’s not something that happens everyday. We need to accept it.”

Jokic walks the tightrope of playing with emotion, without becoming emotional about the result. All he lost was a game. He wasn’t trying to sell the idea that Jamal Murray was hurt, or that Crunch the mascot was too annoying, or that the refs swallowed their whistles.

“It was a great loss,” Jokic said in a nod to what can be learned over the next 48 hours.

The Nuggets own rings for a reason. They have shown why in this series by refusing to give in to frustration, if not exhaustion. In two of their three defeats, they have been throttled. They boarded a plane to Minnesota trailing 2-0 to the delight of the national media that has turned doubting them into a cottage industry.

Accountability provides the path back to redemption. Their best players demonstrated it in Game 3. They will do it again on Sunday.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We don’t want it to be easy. We embrace challenges,” forward Aaron Gordon said. “I have full faith in this team.”

Murray walked into his press conference like he was meeting the media after a morning shoot-around. He was candid, reflective, calmly pointing the finger in the mirror.

“We played terrible. I played terrible. Own it,” Murray said after scoring 10 points and only two in the first half. “Now, we gotta go win it.”

Critics will say the Nuggets are delusional after what played out at Target Center. They raced out to a 9-2 lead — “We had them, right? It didn’t look good for them,” said Jokic as he acknowledged my laughter a few feet away — and were outscored by 53 over the final 45 minutes.

The Timberwolves double-teamed Jokic with success because Denver could not bury open shots. After carrying the Nuggets at times vs. the Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. failed to score in double figures for the third straight game. Denver’s bench became a ghost. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remains inconsistent.

The one player whose performance continues to cause angst is Murray. He is a closer who has looked finished for long stretches. In the Nuggets’ three losses, he has missed 37 of 50 shots, and appeared uncomfortable doing it because of an achy calf and, as of Thursday, a sore elbow. In the Nuggets’ three wins, he has made 26 of 52 from the field. Will his shooting limb feel better in a few days?

“I hope so for our team’s sake,” Murray admitted.

The Nuggets need him in rhythm. They have proven they cannot win without his meaningful contribution.

Denver’s problems are not disguised. They have issues with Anthony Edwards, lack physicality in the paint and get careless with the ball.

But let’s not forget what we have learned about these Nuggets. They care about their legacy. They have answered every bell, passed every inspection. Lose and the criticism will be deserved and scathing. But guarantee they will respond, and you won’t need a refund.

The knockout game has arrived. It is impossible to stretch this rubber band. The Nuggets spent last June doing something they had never done. Time to do it again. And snap back.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday.

Do you believe?

Coach Michael Malone has leaned on this more than Ted Lasso over the last week. The Nuggets are not a Gucci knockoff. They have been authentic for a calendar year. They have exceeded expectations, and returning home in front of a full-throat crowd at Ball Arena they will live up to their warranty. It’s what they do until they don’t.

And why waste time thinking they won’t? Nuggets Nation will lose fingernails over the next few days. And surely the Sunday bottomless mimosas will feature orange-flavored liqueur and pink-colored Pepto-Bismol.

Fans fret. They worry. It’s what they do. This pretzled passion is what makes sports so enjoyable and miserable.

But this is not about them, Nuggets. It’s about you.

And these humbled players were not running hot. Nor were they running from the sobering reality that they suffered the largest loss in NBA history by a defending champion. Even before Jokic soaked his feet in a red tub of ice, he was “cool” with what happened.

“They beat our ass. They were better in every segment of the game,” Jokic said. “When you lose by 45, it’s not something that happens everyday. We need to accept it.”

Jokic walks the tightrope of playing with emotion, without becoming emotional about the result. All he lost was a game. He wasn’t trying to sell the idea that Jamal Murray was hurt, or that Crunch the mascot was too annoying, or that the refs swallowed their whistles.

“It was a great loss,” Jokic said in a nod to what can be learned over the next 48 hours.

The Nuggets own rings for a reason. They have shown why in this series by refusing to give in to frustration, if not exhaustion. In two of their three defeats, they have been throttled. They boarded a plane to Minnesota trailing 2-0 to the delight of the national media that has turned doubting them into a cottage industry.

Accountability provides the path back to redemption. Their best players demonstrated it in Game 3. They will do it again on Sunday.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We don’t want it to be easy. We embrace challenges,” forward Aaron Gordon said. “I have full faith in this team.”

Murray walked into his press conference like he was meeting the media after a morning shoot-around. He was candid, reflective, calmly pointing the finger in the mirror.

“We played terrible. I played terrible. Own it,” Murray said after scoring 10 points and only two in the first half. “Now, we gotta go win it.”

Critics will say the Nuggets are delusional after what played out at Target Center. They raced out to a 9-2 lead — “We had them, right? It didn’t look good for them,” said Jokic as he acknowledged my laughter a few feet away — and were outscored by 53 over the final 45 minutes.

The Timberwolves double-teamed Jokic with success because Denver could not bury open shots. After carrying the Nuggets at times vs. the Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. failed to score in double figures for the third straight game. Denver’s bench became a ghost. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remains inconsistent.

The one player whose performance continues to cause angst is Murray. He is a closer who has looked finished for long stretches. In the Nuggets’ three losses, he has missed 37 of 50 shots, and appeared uncomfortable doing it because of an achy calf and, as of Thursday, a sore elbow. In the Nuggets’ three wins, he has made 26 of 52 from the field. Will his shooting limb feel better in a few days?

“I hope so for our team’s sake,” Murray admitted.

The Nuggets need him in rhythm. They have proven they cannot win without his meaningful contribution.

Denver’s problems are not disguised. They have issues with Anthony Edwards, lack physicality in the paint and get careless with the ball.

But let’s not forget what we have learned about these Nuggets. They care about their legacy. They have answered every bell, passed every inspection. Lose and the criticism will be deserved and scathing. But guarantee they will respond, and you won’t need a refund.

The knockout game has arrived. It is impossible to stretch this rubber band. The Nuggets spent last June doing something they had never done. Time to do it again. And snap back.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

MINNEAPOLIS — There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday.

Do you believe?

Coach Michael Malone has leaned on this more than Ted Lasso over the last week. The Nuggets are not a Gucci knockoff. They have been authentic for a calendar year. They have exceeded expectations, and returning home in front of a full-throat crowd at Ball Arena they will live up to their warranty. It’s what they do until they don’t.

And why waste time thinking they won’t? Nuggets Nation will lose fingernails over the next few days. And surely the Sunday bottomless mimosas will feature orange-flavored liqueur and pink-colored Pepto-Bismol.

Fans fret. They worry. It’s what they do. This pretzled passion is what makes sports so enjoyable and miserable.

But this is not about them, Nuggets. It’s about you.

And these humbled players were not running hot. Nor were they running from the sobering reality that they suffered the largest loss in NBA history by a defending champion. Even before Jokic soaked his feet in a red tub of ice, he was “cool” with what happened.

“They beat our ass. They were better in every segment of the game,” Jokic said. “When you lose by 45, it’s not something that happens everyday. We need to accept it.”

Jokic walks the tightrope of playing with emotion, without becoming emotional about the result. All he lost was a game. He wasn’t trying to sell the idea that Jamal Murray was hurt, or that Crunch the mascot was too annoying, or that the refs swallowed their whistles.

“It was a great loss,” Jokic said in a nod to what can be learned over the next 48 hours.

The Nuggets own rings for a reason. They have shown why in this series by refusing to give in to frustration, if not exhaustion. In two of their three defeats, they have been throttled. They boarded a plane to Minnesota trailing 2-0 to the delight of the national media that has turned doubting them into a cottage industry.

Accountability provides the path back to redemption. Their best players demonstrated it in Game 3. They will do it again on Sunday.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We don’t want it to be easy. We embrace challenges,” forward Aaron Gordon said. “I have full faith in this team.”

Murray walked into his press conference like he was meeting the media after a morning shoot-around. He was candid, reflective, calmly pointing the finger in the mirror.

“We played terrible. I played terrible. Own it,” Murray said after scoring 10 points and only two in the first half. “Now, we gotta go win it.”

Critics will say the Nuggets are delusional after what played out at Target Center. They raced out to a 9-2 lead — “We had them, right? It didn’t look good for them,” said Jokic as he acknowledged my laughter a few feet away — and were outscored by 53 over the final 45 minutes.

The Timberwolves double-teamed Jokic with success because Denver could not bury open shots. After carrying the Nuggets at times vs. the Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. failed to score in double figures for the third straight game. Denver’s bench became a ghost. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remains inconsistent.

The one player whose performance continues to cause angst is Murray. He is a closer who has looked finished for long stretches. In the Nuggets’ three losses, he has missed 37 of 50 shots, and appeared uncomfortable doing it because of an achy calf and, as of Thursday, a sore elbow. In the Nuggets’ three wins, he has made 26 of 52 from the field. Will his shooting limb feel better in a few days?

“I hope so for our team’s sake,” Murray admitted.

The Nuggets need him in rhythm. They have proven they cannot win without his meaningful contribution.

Denver’s problems are not disguised. They have issues with Anthony Edwards, lack physicality in the paint and get careless with the ball.

But let’s not forget what we have learned about these Nuggets. They care about their legacy. They have answered every bell, passed every inspection. Lose and the criticism will be deserved and scathing. But guarantee they will respond, and you won’t need a refund.

The knockout game has arrived. It is impossible to stretch this rubber band. The Nuggets spent last June doing something they had never done. Time to do it again. And snap back.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

MINNEAPOLIS — Running into a Rudy Gobert screen can feel like colliding with a brick wall. For Jamal Murray, the result was a lot of pain and a lot of bricks.

Murray attributed his 4-for-18 Game 6 performance partially to a right elbow injury that he sustained while defending a screen two possessions into the 115-70 loss Thursday night.

The Nuggets point guard never exited the game due to the injury, but he was shaken up immediately, flexing his right arm on the court during live play to test how the elbow felt. He said he put numbing cream on the elbow when he went to the bench, “just so I didn’t have to feel it every time I extended it,” but it didn’t feel better for the rest of the game.

When asked if the injury was the type of stinger that should recover with two days off before Game 7, Murray said, laughing: “I mean, I hope. I hope for our team’s sake. I hope for my team’s sake I can get it right.”

He’s right about that. The Nuggets have already lived and died by Murray’s mercurial shooting percentages throughout their first 11 playoff contests. Now their first elimination game in more than two calendar years might hinge on the physical status of multiple Murray limbs.

Murray has been dealing with a left calf strain since the first round — a significant factor in his recent inefficiency. He’s 39.2% from the field and 31.1% from 3-point range this postseason. Excluding an 18-point first half in Game 3, he’s 34.8% from the field and 29.2% from three in this Minnesota series.

“Everybody gets hurt. Ant (Anthony Edwards) just got hurt,” Murray said, referring to the painful landing Edwards played through in Game 6. “It was just the fact that I was shooting the ball. That’s what I do most. So I was never really getting into my rhythm again, and my team obviously needed me to tonight. And I didn’t. So I’m disappointed in myself for not being able to give them the right production that I know I can.”

Exactly how essential is Murray’s production? In the regular season, the Nuggets were 29-6 when he scored 20 or more points and 16-2 when he scored 25-plus. They were 28-19 when he scored fewer than 20.

In the playoffs, they’re 5-1 when he meets the 20-point threshold and 2-3 when he doesn’t.

Efficiency matters as well. The Nuggets won all 15 of Murray’s best shooting percentage games this regular season. Including the playoffs, they are 33-3 when he makes 45% or more of his field goal attempts. And they are 11-12 when he shoots 40% or worse on double-digit attempts.

That Murray has shot worse than 40% in more than half of Denver’s playoff games so far is the most alarming element of this upcoming Game 7. This is as mortal as he’s ever looked in a playoff setting, and it’s as vulnerable as the defending champions have been in ages.

“Just owning the negativity, man,” Murray said when asked about the days ahead before Game 7. “We played terrible. I played terrible. Own it. And let’s use that to come out in front of our home fans and play the right way.”

The 27-year-old was relaxed and introspective after Game 6, despite both the historic nature of the loss and the ominous pain in his elbow. He repeated the refrain he has used when grilled about his calf: that every player is banged up this time of year, that minor injuries are no excuse for poor performances. He alluded to Denver’s encouraging bounce-back after a similar blowout loss in Game 2. (“I think when you get beat like we did in Game 2, we carry that over and respond in the right way.”) And he touched on what the Nuggets need to do if they find themselves in a position where they need to overcome another bad shooting game.

“Gotta defend. We’ve just gotta be more physical. Own our spots. Early help. Rotating, communicating. I think that’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Every game during the season, you’re going to struggle offensively. But can you stop the other team from scoring when you’re doing so? I think that’s our biggest challenge, right? Just getting stops. And run-outs. Just playing at our pace that we want to play at. They had it today. I don’t want to take no credit from Minnesota. They came to play. They brought that energy, and they used the home crowd to their advantage.”

Those observations will be applicable to himself. The Timberwolves continued to attack Murray’s defense in Game 6, capturing him on switches and forcing him to guard in the post. He was a team-worst minus-32 on the floor. The second unit surrounding him struggled at both ends.

“Even though we knew that we could cut the lead, we didn’t do anything about it or change anything — not gameplan wise, but energy and discipline wise,” he said. “We didn’t change anything to shift the momentum in our favor.”

Murray is living, limping proof of the existence of momentum. When he makes one, he’s primed to make 12. Before this series, Anthony Edwards told The Denver Post, “without him, they’re not good. It’s just that simple.” Game 7 is just that simple, too.

MINNEAPOLIS — Running into a Rudy Gobert screen can feel like colliding with a brick wall. For Jamal Murray, the result was a lot of pain and a lot of bricks.

Murray attributed his 4-for-18 Game 6 performance to a right elbow injury that he sustained on a screen two possessions into the loss Thursday night at Target Center. The Nuggets trailed by as many as 50 in a 115-70 defeat, their worst playoff loss in franchise history by point margin.

Murray never exited the game due to the injury, but he was shaken up immediately, flexing his right arm on the court during live play to test how the elbow felt. He said he put numbing cream on the elbow when he went to the bench, “just so I didn’t have to feel it every time I extended it,” but it didn’t feel better for the rest of the game.

When asked if the injury was the type of stinger that should recover with two days off before Game 7, Murray said, laughing: “I mean, I hope. I hope for our team’s sake. I hope for my team’s sake I can get it right.”

Murray has also been dealing with a left calf strain since the first round of the playoffs. Add this to the pile of injuries he’ll have to overcome when the Nuggets host an elimination game Sunday. Similarly to with his calf, Murray said he can’t treat the elbow as an excuse going forward. He expressed confidence that Denver can take care of business in the winner-take-all game.

“Everybody gets hurt. Ant (Anthony Edwards) just got hurt,” Murray said, referring to the hard landing Edwards played through in Game 6. “It was just the fact that I was shooting the ball. That’s what I do most. So I was never really getting into my rhythm again, and my team obviously needed me to tonight. And I didn’t. So I’m disappointed in myself for not being able to give them the right production that I know I can.”

The Denver Nuggets lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-70 in game 6 of their second-round NBA playoff series at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday, May 16, 2024. The series is now tied 3-3, with game 7 determining who goes on to the Western Conference Finals.

MINNEAPOLIS — After an exchange of blowouts that has lasted six games, there’s no telling what could happen in the seventh.

Jamal Murray’s shooting efficiency reverted to Game 2 form, Michael Porter Jr. was held to single-digit scoring for a third consecutive game, and the Nuggets were crushed, 115-70, by the Timberwolves in a potential close-out Game 6 on Thursday night. It set a new franchise low in playoff single-game scoring.

Anthony Edwards bounced back with 27 points and three steals. Jaden McDaniels supplied 21 points on 10 shots as Denver gave him the Aaron Gordon treatment, living with his shots. And the two Minnesota wings combined to quiet the Nuggets’ second and third options at the defensive end. Murray shot 4 for 18, totaling 10 points. Porter scored eight on 3-of-9 shooting.

Nikola Jokic’s 22 points weren’t enough to overcome the lack of supporting offense. He only registered two assists, matching a season-low (at Minnesota in March).

The series finale Sunday at Ball Arena will be the Nuggets’ first elimination game since April 27, 2022, against Golden State. It will be their first Game 7 since the bubble in 2020. They are 3-1 in Game 7s in the Jokic era, which spans five consecutive playoff appearances before this year. The only time the Nuggets have lost a series that they led in Jokic’s career was the second round against Portland in 2019, when they blew a 3-2 lead.

Denver coach Michael Malone’s focus is usually defense-first during his pregame news conferences when he’s asked about the keys to winning any given matchup. The Timberwolves’ imposing defense has made this series an anomaly in that regard. Snuffing Minnesota’s miniature runs before they could inflate beyond the realm of recovery was a strength for the Nuggets in Games 3 and 4. What would it take to sustain that success and keep the crowd out of it Thursday night?

“Our offense,” Malone said before Game 6. “If we play a clean game, that limits their transition. That keeps Anthony Edwards out of the paint. … I think if you want to keep the crowd out of it and give your defense a chance, you have to make sure you have a clean game offensively. They’ve shown time and time again, they can turn you over in a hurry. They can block shots. And that converts into easy points in transition. Highlight dunks. And that’s when this place will just erupt.”

His comment was prescient. The cleanliness of Denver’s game reached its limit after about three minutes, when Chris Finch called a timeout trailing 9-2. The Nuggets didn’t score for the next 5:45, missing seven consecutive shots and turning it over four times during a 27-2 haymaker. Target Center regained life early in that run when Murray brought the ball up and was pressured by Edwards and McDaniels. In an image eerily reminiscent of the first two games, they forced a turnover and an easy highlight dunk for Edwards.

The Nuggets were out-rebounded 19-10 in the first quarter, while getting outscored 18-6 in the paint and 9-0 on fast breaks. They scored as many points in the frame (14) as Edwards.

In a desperate attempt to put a lid on top of the arena, Malone kept Jokic on the floor to start the second quarter, eschewing his regular substitution pattern. The Nuggets continued to build a tower of bricks on open 3-point looks, but they showed brief signs of life anyway by crashing the offensive glass and forcefully earning points. They clipped the deficit to 11, but eventually Jokic had to sit. Malone brought in Gordon at the backup five, and the Timberwolves immediately punished the second unit. The lead got back to 19 with Naz Reid scoring six unanswered.

The Nuggets’ bench, impressive for the first half of this series, did not score a point Thursday until the fourth quarter. Malone was done with his starters with more than eight minutes remaining.

His garbage-time substitutions provided Finch a convenient layer of bubble wrap for Edwards, who had stayed down for an extended period of time after a hard landing in the third quarter. The series flashed before Minnesota’s eyes while he appeared to cling to his hip, but he stayed in the game.

Initial thoughts from the Nuggets’ embarrassing Game 6 loss to the Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals:

Murray struggles: Nuggets star Jamal Murray was no longer the enemy. And he needed the energy from the boos. The Nuggets missed more open shots than T.J. Hooker. Murray symbolized the struggles as the fans ignored him. He had his latest frigid start, scoring two points in the first half on 1-of-10 shooting. He did not make his first 3-pointer until 8:06 remaining in the third quarter and finished with 10 points before icing his elbow on the bench. The Nuggets clanked 17 of their first 21 3s, setting up a knockout game on Sunday. The sellout crowd began chanting “Wolves in 7!” with 8:33 remaining. The Nuggets have won their last two Game 7s, both coming in the bubble vs. the Jazz and Clippers. And, let’s remember, they have a one-game winning streak at Ball Arena. So, there’s that.

McDaniels McNuggets: The postseason remains a fertile ground for unlikely contributors. Thursday, Jaden McDaniels filled the role, playing with the dynamic athleticism of Heisman quarterback Jayden Daniels. After going scoreless in Game 5, McDaniels took up the Nuggets’ dare to shoot. He was hot from the start, scoring 13 in the first half. He had not scored more than 11 in the previous five games. McDaniels delivered 21 points, just shy of his career playoff high of 25 set against the Suns in the first round. Anthony Edwards got his — he had more points at half (19) than he did in Game 5 (18) and battled through a right hip injury — but it was McDaniels who provided the surprising thump.

20–20-0 Vision: In the first quarter, it was like the Nuggets underwent identity bypass surgery. They committed four turnovers, including two from Nikola Jokic who had zero on 129 touches in Game 5. They missed easy jump shots, and they showed panic as they fell into a sinkhole and brought the crowd to life. Faith was fading in Minnesota as the get-in ticket price dropped from $530 in Game 3 to $70 for Game 6. The fans who packed Target Center were rewarded. The Timberwolves answered the Nuggets’ 9-0 run with a 20-0 burst that shoved them ahead 22-9, a lead they would never relinquish in a blowout.

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The Lakers made the most of the NBA scouting combine, fielding coaching candidate pitches, discussing trade options, evaluating Bronny James and more.