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The Denver Nuggets started strong winning 109-80 in the series opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets finished on top of the Western Conference in the regular season for the first time in franchise history, and they finally look like a team that can go all the way.
That will mainly depend on the performance of the two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who did not have his best game in the series opener. The Serbian center finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists in 28 minutes on the floor. That is way less than the 33.7 minutes per game that he played during the regular season. Many would say that Nuggets head coach Mike Malone could give some rest to his superstar, given the score, but Jokic is actually still recovering from a right wrist sprain. Jokic took only 12 shots in the game, and it was obvious that he was not at his 100%.
Photo by Icon Sport
What’s Jokic’s Injury Status Ahead of Game 2 of the Series?
Jokic has been listed as questionable hours before the tip-off of Game 2 of the series. It is clear that he would play if this was a decisive game of the series, but knowing that the Playoffs just started, the question is Nikola Jokic playing tonight is still up in the air. This will be more of a long-term decision made by the coaching staff rather than answering the question is Nikola Jokic still injured. The way the Nuggets took care of business in the opening game of the series gave Malone confidence that the Nuggets would be able to beat the Timberwolves even without their top player on the floor.
What’s in for the Timberwolves if Jokic sits out Game 2?
The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this series as a major underdog, and many are predicting this series to end with a sweep. The Nuggets are a team that was built for years, and they finally look like a real contender that can attack the championship. On the other hand, the Wolves made significant roster changes in the last couple of years including during this season, and they are barely a Playoff team. Things are not going well within the team which was obvious after Rudy Gobert punched Kyle Anderson in the last regular season game. However, having Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns in the pain will give the Wolves an advantage to a certain point which will at least keep them closer in the game which wasn’t the case in Game 1 of the series.
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