Nuggets falls to Timberwolves as Nikola Jokic,…
MINNEAPOLIS — Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 factors, stepping up after leg accidents to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with the highest-scoring playoff efficiency by a reserve in 50 years, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 on Saturday evening.
The Timberwolves took a 3-1 lead in the sequence in a sport that ended with the ejections of Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Minnesota’s Julius Randle after Jokic turned offended when Jaden McDaniels made a meaningless layup with 2.1 seconds remaining and confronted the Wolves’ swingman close to his bench.
The story before that was Dosunmu, who had the best efficiency by a sub since Fred Brown scored 45 off the bench for Seattle in a 116-111 loss to Phoenix on April 15, 1976.
Nikola Jokic was ejected during the Nuggets’ 112-96 Game loss to the Timberwolves on April 25, 2026 in Minneapolis. Getty Images
The Wolves have gained the last three video games and can end the sequence in Game 5 on Monday in Denver.
Dosunmu made 13 of 17 photographs, including 5 of 5 from behind the arc, and all 12 of his free throw makes an attempt, offering even more than the Wolves may have imagined when they acquired him from Chicago in February.
Naz Reid had 17 factors and 9 rebounds for Minnesota, while Randle added 15 factors and 9 boards.
Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 factors. Jokic added 24 factors, 15 rebounds and 9 assists for the Nuggets, who had been just 6 for 27 (22%) from past the arc.
Julius Randle is pictured during the Timberwolves’ win over the Nuggets on April 25. Imagn Images
Nikola Jokic reacts after being ejected during the Nuggets’ April 25 loss to the Timberwolves. Imagn Images
The Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter before the Timberwolves used their protection to get back into the sport. Bones Hyland and Dosunmu scored breakaway layups on consecutive possessions after Minnesota pressured the Nuggets to flip it over close to halfcourt.
Randle added a steal and fast-break dunk to put the Wolves up by 4 after three quarters.
Dosunmu had another steal and layup as half of a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter that gave Minnesota a 95-82 lead.
The basket that pushed the lead into double digits was a 3-pointer by 38-year-old Mike Conley, who performed 20 minutes while filling in for DiVincenzo and Edwards.
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