Jokic's 11th Assist Sealed It: Nuggets Steal Game 1 at Home, Murray Goes Perfect From the Line

Nikola Jokic just posted his 22nd playoff triple-double, and Denver is not letting Minnesota back into this series. The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday night at Ball Arena to take a 1-0 lead, and it was Jokic's closing play that told you everything about how this one went down. With the game still within reach, Jokic found Bruce Brown for a fast-break dunk to make it 106-97 with 4:10 left. Game over.

Murray's Free-Throw Clinic Flipped the Script

Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points and was absolutely perfect from the line. He hit 16 free throws without a miss, a career high, and that's the difference-maker right there. Denver got fouled relentlessly and buried Minnesota from the stripe: the Nuggets went 30-of-33 from the line (90.9%). Murray was quiet early, scoring just three points in the first 14 minutes, but he came alive when it mattered. "It's not a feel-out game," Murray said. "To me, it's the most important game of the series. It sets the tone and this is why you work for home-court advantage, to win this game right here."

Aaron Gordon added 17 points, and Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun chipped in 12 each. The Nuggets fell behind by 12 in the second quarter but tied it up at halftime 62-62 and never looked back.

Minnesota's Fourth-Quarter Rally Came Too Late

Anthony Edwards played 38 minutes after missing 11 of Minnesota's final 15 regular-season games with right knee issues. He was listed as questionable before the game but played through it, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks. The problem? He shot just 7-of-19 from the field and couldn't find his rhythm. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Edwards "looked normal for what he's been through" but "got tired in the third." The rest of Minnesota's offense couldn't carry the load: Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels scored 16 each, Ayo Dosunmu had 14, and Donte DiVincenzo added 12.

Minnesota outshot Denver from the floor and from three-point range, but the free-throw disparity was brutal. A 12-4 Timberwolves run in the fourth cut it to 97-95, but Jokic answered with a three-point play and a tip-in to push it back to seven. Edwards missed a 19-footer and a long three-pointer down the stretch that could have made it a 2-point game with 2:25 left. It never happened.

Game 2 is Monday night in Denver. The Nuggets have home-court, they have momentum, and they have Murray looking like he's ready to carry them deep.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.