Nuggets' Nikola Jokic flummoxed by yet another ugly loss to Timberwolves

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The Minnesota Timberwolves have had the Denver Nuggets number in recent matchups. Anthony Edwards and his squad are not only 3-0 against the Nuggets this season, but the Wolves have won five straight against their rivals dating back to the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals after picking up a 115-95 road win on Wednesday night. Nobody in Denver is more frustrated by this than Nikola Jokic.

Amid yet another MVP-like season, Jokic has the Nuggets in a position where they are contending for the 2-seed in the West. Another loss to the Timberwolves has set them back and the Los Angeles Lakers could pull even with them for the 3-seed in the conference on Thursday night.

Losing to Minnesota has become an anomaly that the Nuggets haven’t been able to solve and continues to haunt them with the playoffs looming. After an embarrassing blowout loss in Denver on Wednesday, Jokic took to the podium and expressed his frustration as to why his team can’t get past the Timberwolves.

“We need to do a better job. I don't know what, but it seems we are not playing good against them, or maybe they don't let us play good against them,” Jokic said in his postgame press conference. “I want to win every game, so if I lose, I don't think any loss is really easy to stomach. When someone beats you so many times in a row, it's something you need to figure out, you need to think about it.”

Although Jokic has been a constant threat in any game he’s played this season, the Nuggets have really struggled against the Timberwolves. While Denver lost by only three points in their first matchup this season against Minnesota, their other two losses have been by 29 and 20 points.

Over their last five matchups against the Nuggets, including the playoffs, the Timberwolves have outscored the Nuggets by 105 points.

When asked what the Nuggets need to do in order to limit this team that seems to have them figured out, Jokic paused and really thought about what his group must change.

“Probably limit them to one shot,” Jokic responded. “You know, you cannot give them a lot of opportunities because they’re really talented offensively.”

Jokic followed up a performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he had 35 points, 18 rebounds, and eight assists, with 34 points and eight rebounds against Minnesota on Wednesday. He did so while appearing on the Nuggets’ injury report with a right elbow contusion and a left ankle impingement.

The Timberwolves are a talented team, but Jokic and the Nuggets believe that they are the more well-constructed team that can win the Western Conference this season. To do so, Denver understands they will need to get past Minnesota at some point.

These two teams will meet one last time during the regular season on Apr. 1 in Denver. With the Timberwolves still in the hunt for the 6-seed in the West, it is possible these two teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs.

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