NBA Preseason: Jokic Scores 14 Points and Elbows Gobert; Wolves Win Despite Huzi’s Absence Against Nuggets

On October 5th Beijing time, the NBA preseason continued as the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets 126-116, marking their first preseason victory. Edwards, Randle, and Conley were absent for the Timberwolves. The Nuggets’ starters played only the first half; Jokic scored 14 points and had an elbow clash with Gobert in the opening quarter. Valančiūnas, coming off the bench, scored 6 points but had 4 turnovers and 5 fouls. The Timberwolves led by as much as 19 points. Although the Nuggets narrowed the gap to single digits in the second half, they still lost. Hyland led the Timberwolves with a game-high 18 points.

Statistics

Timberwolves: Hyland 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists; Zazan 16 points, 6 rebounds; Bellinger 14 points, 4 rebounds; Shannon 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists; Reid 10 points; McDaniels 9 points; DiVincenzo 8 points, 6 assists; Zikalrski 9 points, 8 rebounds; Freeman 9 points; Gobert 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists; Dillingham 7 points, 9 assists

Nuggets: Jokic 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists; Gordon 14 points, 3 rebounds; Murray 12 points, 5 assists; Pickett 13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists; Watson 10 points, 4 rebounds; Tyson 9 points; Braun 7 points, 3 rebounds; Moses Brown 8 points; Strusser 7 points, 3 rebounds; Valančiūnas 6 points, 2 assists; Holmes 5 points; Hardaway 3 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Player of the Game

Hyland came off the bench to score 18 points in 22 minutes, becoming the top scorer and helping the Timberwolves secure the win over the Nuggets.

Game Highlights

Jokic elbowed Gobert in the face after receiving the ball, and Gobert immediately retaliated with an elbow that pushed Jokic out of bounds. The two players embraced each other right after the incident.

Game Recap

In the first quarter, Reid hit two consecutive three-pointers, and DiVincenzo also scored from outside, leading the Timberwolves to a 9-4 start. Gobert and McDaniels attacked the paint repeatedly, while new Nugget Johnson scored off a Jokic assist. Reid scored again with a turnaround hook, and McDaniels added 5 straight points, giving the Timberwolves an 11-point lead. Murray completed a three-point play, and Hyland responded in kind. Jokic scored on jump shots and free throws to cut the deficit. DiVincenzo made another three-pointer, and Jokic scored a floater. At the end of the first quarter, the Timberwolves led the Nuggets 40-28.

In the second quarter, Valan scored 4 points in a row, and Bellinger dunked off an alley-oop. After Valan made a layup, he assisted Strusser for a basket under the rim. Dillingham scored 5 consecutive points, while Gordon and Braun hit back-to-back three-pointers. Ingles made a three-pointer, and the Timberwolves maintained a double-digit lead. Jokic scored 4 straight points. The Timberwolves substituted in the 2.21-meter-tall Zikalrski, who performed well with continuous scoring. Murray hit a three-pointer, and the Nuggets were still trailing by 9 points. At halftime, the Timberwolves led 72-63. Two Timberwolves players scored in double digits: Hyland with 12 points and 2 assists, and Reid with 10 points. Three Nuggets players reached double figures: Jokic with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists; Gordon with 14 points and 3 rebounds; and Murray with 12 points and 5 assists.

After the break, the Timberwolves kept only Dillingham from their starters on the floor, while the Nuggets played their entire bench. Bellinger dunked, and Strusser and Watson also delivered consecutive dunks, cutting the Nuggets’ deficit to 5 points. However, Valan had already committed 5 fouls in just 10 minutes of play. Zikalrski scored on a putback, Hyland made consecutive three-pointers, and Shannon also scored on a drive, pushing the Timberwolves’ lead back to 19 points. Tyson hit a three-pointer. After three quarters, the Timberwolves led the Nuggets 96-80.

In the final quarter, Zazan and Tyson exchanged three-pointers, Nagy dunked, and Pickett scored 5 points in a row, narrowing the gap to 9 points. Zazan hit another three-pointer to extend the lead again. Nagy made a layup, Tyson hit a three-pointer, and Pickett and Freeman traded threes. Moses Brown scored on a fast break, and Holmes made a three-pointer. Ultimately, the Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets.

Starting Lineups

Timberwolves: DiVincenzo, McDaniels, Dillingham, Reid, Gobert

Nuggets: Murray, Braun, Johnson, Gordon, Jokic