The Denver Nuggets had an early tip today and it looked like they forgot what time the game was because frankly they never showed up. The Minnesota Timberwolves led wire to wire while getting whatever they wanted offensively. Jamal Murray was the only Nugget to play a solid game while the Wolves got an all around effort. Too many turnovers, too many offensive rebounds and too little energy spells doom for the Nuggets as they lose big 133-104.

Minnesota got the first three baskets of the game but Jokic responded with Denver’s first seven points. The Timberwolves were using their size to get inside and that got them a lead, meanwhile Jokic continued to be the fulcrum of Denver’s offense. It was basically a layup line for Minnesota but the Nuggets also kept hitting their shots making it a very high scoring first quarter. Jamal Murray had a nice start to the game in addition to Jokic but pretty much everyone was scoring for Minnesota. The Nuggets didn’t close the quarter strong which led to the Wolves building up a nine point lead. After one Denver trailed 40-31.

The Nuggets defense was better to start the second quarter but their bench unit was struggling to find points. After a Michael Malone timeout though, the Nuggets went on a run and got back within three. Unfortunately, they couldn’t close the lead more than that as they were playing a little sloppy. Jokic checked back in with Denver down five. The Nuggets kept turning it over and the lead went back up to ten as the game passed the five minute mark. It was a really rough two minute or so stretch for Denver complete with turnovers, missed layups and giving up offensive rebounds. With the lead up to a dozen they called another timeout and refocused. That kept the lead from growing anymore, but at halftime Denver still trailed 71-60.

The second half started like the first, with Minnesota getting way too easy buckets at the basket and growing their lead. They went a little cold from the floor once Denver started denying the paint but the Wolves still made enough shots to keep the lead above double digits. Denver continued to make little mistakes. First with turnovers, then they couldn’t stop fouling. Throughout he game it just looked like Denver really wasn’t all that interested in playing a basketball game. The Minnesota lead ballooned up to twenty while Denver struggled to find any consistency defensively. They went on a little run right near the end of the quarter, but ruined it by leaving Julius Randle wide open for a three right before the horn. After three the Nuggets trailed 109-91.

The bench unit once again couldn’t score to start the fourth quarter so once again despite getting some stops on defense Denver couldn’t cut into the lead. They also didn’t seem to want to box out and were happy to give Minnesota as many chances as they needed to score. The Wolves pushed the lead up to twenty-three with just under eight minutes to go and Malone took a timeout. Out of the TO they got their shot blocked, missed a layup and gave up a fastbreak jam, then Anthony Edwards hit a logo three…pretty much sums up the day. With just over five minutes to go Malone emptied the bench and garbage time opened with back to back air ball threes from Zeke Nnaji and Hunter Tyson. Denver loses a game they never put much effort into, 133-104.