Takeaways: Shorthanded Timberwolves can't keep up with Nuggets in 127-114 loss

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Oct 28, 2025

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The Timberwolves knocked Denver out of the playoffs two seasons ago, and last season they took all four regular-season matchups from the Nuggets.

Denver finally got one back against them Monday night with a 127-114 victory at Target Center as Anthony Edwards missed the game because of a right hamstring strain. Jamal Murray had 43 points, including 23 in the third quarter when Denver wrestled control of the game. Murray was was 16-for-29 from the field. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double with 25 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Jaden McDaniels had 25 for the Wolves while Julius Randle had 24. Naz Reid added 18 off the bench.

How it happened

In the second quarter, the Wolves took advantage of the 6 minutes, 19 seconds Jokic rested by taking their first lead of the night 48-45. Naz Reid had 10 points in the first half to lead that charge while Donte DiVincenzo got a pair of threes to drop. They won those minutes by seven.

The Wolves would take a 65-57 lead into halftime behind 15 points each from Randle and McDaniels. Jokic had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the half, but the Wolves got the Denver star to pick up his third foul late in the quarter.

The third quarter was all Nuggets, specifically all Murray. He torched the Wolves, and when he wasn’t shooting, Tim Hardaway Jr. was. He added 15 points as Denver scored 45. The Wolves were going under screens on Murray and leaving him to double Jokic at other times. He made them pay.

Denver extended that lead to 111-101, forcing a Wolves timeout with 7:31 to play and the Nuggets coasted from there.

Lineup shuffling

With Edwards out, Mike Conley made his first start of the season. Finch said he made the decision to start Conley in part because “it’s comfortable for us” to have Conley on the floor. Conley looked his old self in his first shift of the night, opening with six points and two assists.

Rob Dillingham saw his first rotation shift of the season. He sat out Sunday’s game because of a fractured nose he suffered in Friday’s game against the Lakers.

Jaylen Clark was a late scratch because of left calf tightness.

McDaniels in his bag

Edwards’ absence meant the Wolves relied more on McDaniels to carry the offense. McDaniels sometimes is an afterthought when everyone is healthy, but as long as Edwards is out, he should have the opportunity to shoot more.

He showcased his skills in getting his 25 points. A few times he drove to the hoop and converted some difficult finishes with his left hand.

When Edwards has the ball in his hands a lot, McDaniels has to find ways to score off that attention. Without him, McDaniels has the chance to create for himself.

Defensive issues

Through four games, the Wolves defense has hardly looked like the unit of the past few seasons. Even with Edwards out, the Wolves should’ve have this much slippage on that end of the floor. For the second time in four games they allowed an opponent to score 100 points by the end of the third quarter. The 45 points they gave up in the third was the most they have allowed in one quarter and second time this season they allowed a 40-point quarter.

Player of the game

Murray had his way against a team he traditionally struggles with. His third quarter swung the game when it looked like the Wolves might steal one after the first half.

Up next

The Wolves face the Lakers for the second time in six days Wednesday, but the Lakers will likely have several players out, including LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who scored 49 points against the Wolves in Friday night’s game in Los Angeles.

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