Even Jokic haters were left wondering what they had just witnessed in Minneapolis on Thursday night. The Denver Nuggets were not just beaten—they were handled, embarrassed, and thoroughly dismantled by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
The final score told a brutal story: Minnesota cruised to a 113-96 victory, handing Denver a 2-1 series deficit with Game 4 looming on the road in front of a raucous Target Center crowd. Another loss there, and the Nuggets would stare down a 3-1 hole—one of the steepest climbs in NBA playoff history, with only 13 teams ever overcoming such a deficit.
At the center of the collapse was Nikola Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP whose performance looked nothing like the dominant force who hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy and Bill Russell Award just three years ago. Jokic finished with 27 points, but it came on a career-worst postseason shooting night: 7-for-26 from the field and 2-for-10 from beyond the arc. Even with 15 rebounds, his efficiency was unrecognizable, and the Nuggets’ offense sputtered alongside him.
Suddenly, the discourse has shifted from tactical adjustments and defensive schemes to something far more concerning: Nikola Jokic’s health.
From Dominant Opener to Alarming Slide
Game 1 in Denver offered a glimpse of the Jokic the basketball world expects. The Serbian big man delivered a vintage 25-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist triple-double on efficient 11-for-19 shooting, including a stellar 9-for-12 inside the arc. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead and looked poised for revenge against a Timberwolves team that had gotten the better of them in recent matchups.
Two games later, momentum has evaporated. Jokic’s struggles have become impossible to ignore, and questions about lingering injury effects have intensified.
The timeline traces back to December 29, when Jokic suffered a left knee injury—a bone bruise—against the Miami Heat. He missed four weeks of the regular season. Upon his return, the drop in performance was subtle at first, but his three-point shooting took a noticeable hit. In the playoffs, those issues have magnified dramatically against Minnesota’s physical, switching defense anchored by Rudy Gobert.
The Wrist Revelation
While the knee has drawn initial attention, fresh reporting has spotlighted another long-term issue: Jokic’s right wrist.
In a recent episode of ESPN’s “Hoop Collective” podcast, senior writer Tim MacMahon dropped concerning details. According to MacMahon, the Nuggets’ primary worry wasn’t solely the knee but a wrist that has bothered Jokic off and on for some time.
“I know there was at least one time—I don’t know if there are multiple; I suspect there are multiple—where he had to get a painkilling injection in that right wrist,” MacMahon said. “And I wonder if that wrist is acting up on him right now.”
This isn’t a new problem. The wrist injury predates the current season and flared up enough that Jokic missed the second-to-last game of the regular season for management purposes. Nuggets coach David Adelman addressed it earlier in the year with notable candor.
“I mean, he won’t admit it, but it’s bothering him,” Adelman said. “It really is. I think he’s shooting the ball sometimes to see where he’s at with it nightly. But as you know, it improves. And when he gets hit, he has to deal with it for a week or two weeks or whatever it is… If he’s having problems making shots around the rim or free throws or whatever it might be, it’s not because it’s Nikola struggling. He’s going through something.”
After Game 3, Adelman remained optimistic, noting that Jokic has “played a million playoff games” and that off nights happen. “He will bounce back,” the coach insisted.
Yet the numbers paint a picture of a player fighting through discomfort. Jokic’s perimeter game—once a reliable weapon—has been compromised, forcing him into more contested interior work where Minnesota’s length and help defense have made life difficult.
High Stakes in Game 4
The Nuggets now face a “go big or go home” scenario in Game 4 on Saturday night. Win, and they even the series at 2-2 with home-court advantage returning. Lose, and they head back to Denver down 3-1, a deficit that carries historic weight and would put their season on life support in the opening round.
Denver has shown resilience before. Jokic, in particular, has a track record of delivering near triple-doubles in games immediately following losses. That fight-back mentality offers a sliver of hope for Nuggets fans.
Still, if the wrist (or any combination of nagging issues) is truly limiting the three-time MVP, this could transform what was expected to be a competitive series into a nightmare scenario for Denver. The Timberwolves, led by their elite defense and rising stars, have seized control and look fully capable of exploiting any vulnerability.
As the series shifts back to Minneapolis, all eyes will be on Jokic—not just for his stat line, but for any signs that the painkilling injections and accumulated wear are finally catching up to one of the NBA’s most durable superstars.
For a player who has carried the Nuggets to championship heights with quiet brilliance and unmatched basketball IQ, these questions feel especially jarring. Whether Jokic can silence the injury doubts and orchestrate a response in Game 4 may well determine if Denver’s season ends in shocking early disappointment or lives to fight another day.