"Denver still has the best two players on the floor" - Skip Bayless is impressed by the Nuggets blowing out the Timberwolves in Game 3

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The Denver Nuggets’ performance in their first two home games against the Timberwolves during their second-round series hardly reflected that of the defending champions. It was clear that Michael Malone’s team would need to pull out all the stops to overcome their opponents in order to have any chance of coming back.

Come Game 3, with the city of Minnesota buzzing, the Nuggets did exactly what they hoped, registering a commanding 27-point win. This prompted Skip Bayless to state why the Nuggets shouldn’t be counted out just yet, as they possess two of the best players in the modern-day NBA.

Nuggets register a statement win in Game 3

The Nuggets’ biggest challenge in the 2024 playoffs are their sluggish starts in the first quarters of games. As the home team struggled to hit only 3-of-11 of their shots from the 3-point line, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. got off to hot starts, making full use of Nikola Jokic's control of the pace and running plays to ensure Denver closed out the first frame with a 28-20 lead (it's largest lead in that series until that point).

Not only did 'The Joker' limit his turnovers to just three, but he also recorded an impressive 24-point and 14-rebound double-double. Moreover, he consistently prioritized finding and creating open spaces for his teammates. As a result, all of the Nuggets’ starters scored in double digits, collectively shooting 48.3% from downtown.

More impressively, despite struggling with an average of 12.5 points in the first two games of the series, Murray bounced back in Game 3. He exploded for a game-high 24 points, shooting 11-of-21 from the field.

It’s safe to say that the 72-year-old analyst’s assertion that Denver still has two of the best players appeared to be accurate. This was particularly evident in how Murray and Jokic embraced the challenge of leading the Nuggets back into the series and bounced back after lackluster performances in Game 2.

Timberwolves stars struggled

While Denver's players thrived, the Wolves stars faltered, failing to apply pressure on the Nuggets and push them to the brink of elimination. Despite Anthony Edwards scoring 19 points, he also recorded a game-high five turnovers. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert managed only six points and four rebounds. Similarly, even Naz Reid logged a mere seven points.

With that in mind, the Wolves' stars must avoid replicating the errors from Game 3 to preserve their lead. If the Nuggets manage to even the series, overturning the momentum in their favor would prove considerably more difficult for the Wolves, particularly with Game 5 to be played back in Denver.