With about 30 seconds left, reality began to set in and Nikola Jokic started to congratulate Minnesota Timberwolves players.
In the span of 22 minutes, the Denver Nuggets’ quest to repeat as champions disintegrated in stunning fashion. The Nuggets blew a 20-point third-quarter lead on their home floor to lose 98-90 in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The way they lost — squandering a 58-38 lead from the 10:50 mark in the third quarter — left the reigning champs shell-shocked and incredibly frustrated. It was the largest blown lead in a Game 7 in the past 25 years.
“The season’s over,” a frustrated Michael Malone said in his news conference as Wolves players could be heard roaring in celebration in their locker room next door through the wall.
The suddenness of the Nuggets’ repeat run ending had not settled in yet.
“That’s what’s hard,” Malone said when asked about what went wrong. “F— being up 20. Season’s over. It’s hard.”
After dropping the first two games of the series at home, Denver won the next three games and seemed to be back to its championship self. But the Nuggets wasted two opportunities to advance to their third Western Conference finals in five postseasons — both in shocking fashion. They were obliterated in Game 6 at Minnesota by 45 points.
And then came the second half Sunday. Up by 20 after Jamal Murray buried a 3, the Nuggets watched the Timberwolves go on a 54-24 run. By the time that run ended, Minnesota was up 92-82 with 3:07 left, deflating a raucous Ball Arena.
Jokic, the three-time MVP, finished with 34 points, 19 rebounds and 7 assists but missed 8 of 10 from behind the arc. Murray scored 24 of his 35 points in the first half but shot just 4-for-12 from 3-point range.
“I mean, I think they’re built to beat us,” Jokic said. “Just look at their roster. They have basically two All-Stars, two probably first-team defensive players. Mike Conley is the most underrated player in the NBA, probably.
“From the bench, they have a Sixth Man of the Year. … [They are] one team that they can do literally everything. They can be big, small.”
Jokic said that with all the talent in the NBA today, a team needs “to be basically perfect to win the championship.”
