Although the Denver Nuggets had the availability advantage in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they still struggled to get past their opponent.
Without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo for the final couple of games, the Timberwolves pulled off a stunning upset against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
Knocked out of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the Nuggets now face a ton of questions with their roster. It also doesn’t help that their two core stars have been regarded as two of the most disappointing players in the postseason through the first round of action.
Nikola Jokic’s Struggles vs Rudy Gobert Caused A Hit
GettyNikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jokic is typically one of the most praised players in the game. Every year, he’s an MVP candidate, and nothing was different about his 2025-2026 regular season run.
But the Timberwolves had answers for the triple-double machine. Jokic still had impressive numbers at times throughout the series, but Gobert shut him down like never seen before.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale considers Jokic the second-most disappointing player in the playoffs so far.
“Rudy Gobert had Nikola Jokić in a coffin for much of the first round,” Favale wrote. “The absences of Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson loomed large, but the three-time MVP looking human for such a large portion of this six-game set was a catalyst for the Denver Nuggets’ downfall.”
In six games, Jokic shot a playoff career-low 44.6% from the field. He made just 19.4% of his threes. The veteran center produced averages of 25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game.
Jamal Murray Hits A Low Point
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets takes a free throw during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Jokic was second-worst. Unfortunately for Denver, Jamal Murray tops the list.
Plenty of credit should go to Minnesota’s defensive attack for the way they shut down the Nuggets’ offense, but that’s not a valid pass for Murray. The guard, who is typically a stellar sharpshooter, simply didn’t look like the best version of himself.
Similar to Jokic, it was Murray’s worst run of efficiency since entering the NBA Playoffs in 2018. Taking a career-high 21.5 shots per game in the postseason, Murray hit on just 35.7% of his shots. From three, the star guard knocked down just 26.2% of his shots on 7.0 attempts per game.
“Like Rudy Gobert with Jokić, Jaden McDaniels deserves credit for flustering Murray all series. But he wasn’t just missing ultra-contested looks,” Favale wrote. “He bonked wide-open jumpers, too. He didn’t make up for it elsewhere, either. The Nuggets got slaughtered in his minutes without Jokić, as the defense was bad.”
Jokic and Murray are proven winners together, but that pass only works for so long. The star center will likely earn a massive payday with a long-term commitment from the Nuggets, because he’s wrapping up yet another MVP-caliber season.
Murray had a strong regular season as well, collecting his first All-Star nod, but his future might be slightly murkier. With rumors of anybody not named Jokic available for a move, Murray’s playoff run might have a large impact on his summer.