The Denver Nuggets took Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116–105. It was truly a game of runs, and the Nuggets prevailed in the end with some clutch buckets from Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Here are my main takeaways:
In the 2024 series against the Wolves, Murray had one of his worst playoff series ever. He averaged just 18.4 points per game on 40.3% from the field and 33.3% from three, and was thoroughly outplayed by his counterpart.
The counterpart, Anthony Edwards, averaged 27.7 points and nearly six assists per game on 50% shooting and 37% from three. It was a key part of Minnesota’s success in that series. In 2026, it looks like it could be a different story.
It’s only one game, but Murray already looks like he’s taken another leap. First, we, as fans, saw that in the regular season, when he averaged a career-high 25.4 points and seven assists per game on a crazy 43.5% from three-point range. This game just confirmed that he’s in a better spot in his career than ever before.
In Game One of the 2026 matchup against Minnesota, Murray scored 30 points and had seven assists. His efficiency was not good as he was 7/22 from the field and 0/8 from three. That, however, did not discourage him from being aggressive, and as a result, he had 16 free throw attempts and made all of them.
Whether or not some of the calls were favorable is a discussion for another day. What cannot be denied is that his confidence and aggression are miles above what they were in that series just two years ago. If his outside shot starts falling, it’s going to be a long series.
Another reason for Murray’s improved play in this series is the Wolves not having Nickeil Alexander-Walker. He was a key proponent of keeping Murray under lock two years ago. Now he’s gone, and guys like Bones Hyland and Donte Divincenzo are the replacements. They’re good shooters, but not nearly the defenders.
This isn’t the same Blue Arrow, nor is it the same perimeter defense of Minnesota.
The Nuggets led the league in three-point percentage with 39.6%. They have been stellar in that department for much of the year. In game one, however, they were abysmal from deep.
Denver, as a whole, shot 27.8% from three, going 10/36. Murray and Jokic combined were 2/15 from that range, and the Nuggets still put up 116 points. That is a little concerning if you are a Minnesota fan.
It is a rare sight to see the Nuggets’ duo shoot that poorly from three. This was a game that Minnesota needed to steal because it might be one of Denver’s worst perimeter shooting games all season.
In addition to taking advantage of the poor three-point shooting, the Timberwolves let Denver off the hook in the first half. The Nuggets looked rusty in the first quarter as they made just six field goals and had six turnovers. That may have been due to the starters not playing for over a week.
Minnesota, as a result, was up 33-23 after the first quarter. Jokic usually sits the first couple of minutes in the second quarter, so the Wolves had a chance to really blow open the game. Instead, Murray and company rallied and cut the lead to 43-39 by the seven-minute mark when Joker came back in.
That, in my opinion, is when Minnesota lost this game. Once the game was tied at halftime, it felt like Denver survived the early punch. The second half began, and from that point on, it was all Nuggets.
The Timberwolves, by no means, should panic. Dropping this game should sting because of how the Nuggets played on offense. They were far from looking like the number one offense, and they still were able to score nearly 120 points.
This is also not the same Murray. He is playing at a different level all around, and it’s going to take Edwards to be special in order to give his team the advantage.
The Nuggets and Timberwolves did not disappoint in Game One, and hopefully, it turns out to be an incredible series.
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