MINNEAPOLIS — Three years after Nikola Jokic carried the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title, the defending champs from the Mile High City crashed out in the first round. The Minnesota Timberwolves sent them packing with a 110-98 Game 6 victory on April 30, 2026, winning the series 4-2.
The Nuggets, who led the league in offensive rating all season and closed the regular year on a 12-game tear, could not crack 100 points three times against Minnesota’s suffocating defense. For the first time in four years, Denver’s season ended before May even started.
Jokic Drops Near Triple-Double, But Murray Goes Ice Cold
Jokic fought to the end with 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Rudy Gobert swallowed him up for stretches with those long arms, relentless hustle and perfect positioning. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year turned the two-time MVP into a mortal for long stretches.
Jamal Murray, the guy Jokic leans on most, had his worst night when it mattered. He shot just 4 for 17 and finished with a game-worst minus-18. Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels clamped him from start to finish.
“When I get the looks that I need, they don’t go down,” Murray said after the game. “That’s the frustrating part — not showing up when my team needed me the most tonight.”
The Nuggets missed forward Aaron Gordon for three games with a calf strain and Peyton Watson for the entire series with a hamstring issue. Even with those absences, the supporting cast never stepped up enough.
Wolves Advance Despite Backcourt Injuries
Minnesota played shorthanded in the backcourt yet still rolled. Jaden McDaniels exploded for 32 points and 10 rebounds. Terrence Shannon Jr. added 24 off the bench in a surprise start. The Target Center crowd turned the building into a madhouse every time Minnesota pushed the lead past double digits.
You could feel the tension crackle in the air when the Wolves closed out the series. Denver simply could not make shots. Their vaunted pick-and-roll attack with Jokic and Murray never found rhythm.
| Game | Result |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | Timberwolves 105, Nuggets 116 |
| Game 2 | Timberwolves 119, Nuggets 114 |
| Game 3 | Nuggets 96, Timberwolves 113 |
| Game 4 | Nuggets 96, Timberwolves 112 |
| Game 5 | Timberwolves 113, Nuggets 125 |
| Game 6 | Nuggets 98, Timberwolves 110 |
Jokic Makes His Future Clear: “I Still Want to Be a Nugget Forever”
After the final horn, Jokic faced questions about his future. He can sign a massive extension this summer. His answer came fast and without hesitation.
“I still want to be Nuggets forever,” he said.
Coach David Adelman just finished his first full season on the job. Some wondered if changes loomed in Denver. Jokic shut that down quick.
“That’s not my decision,” he said with a grin. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all be fired.”
Then he turned serious and backed his coach completely.
“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound. It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It was all us.”
What Comes Next for the Nuggets?
Jokic called it straight: “We just lost in the first round, so I think we are far away.” The three-time MVP still believes in the two-man game he shares with Murray, but the Western Conference keeps getting tougher.
The Timberwolves move on to the Western Conference semifinals to face the San Antonio Spurs. Denver heads into an offseason full of tough questions — roster depth, health and how to get back to championship form.
One thing stayed crystal clear in the losing locker room: Jokic’s loyalty to Denver never wavered. The Joker wants to chase more rings right where he stands. The rest of the Nuggets now have to prove they can keep up.
