The Minnesota Timberwolves used a balanced attack to defeat the Denver Nuggets 113-96 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series in the NBA Playoffs on Friday, April 24, 2026 (PH time). The victory gave the Timberwolves a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
This marks the second consecutive win for the Timberwolves after losing Game 1 with a score of 105-116. Six Timberwolves players scored in double figures, led by reserve player Ayo Dosunmu with 25 points.
Jaden McDaniels added 20 points, Anthony Edwards contributed 17 points, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo each scored 15 points, and Rudy Gobert added 10 points.
The Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic with 27 points, Jamal Murray added 16 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 11 points. However, Jokic recorded only 7-of-26 field goals and 2-of-10 three-point shooting. Overall, the Nuggets shot just 34.1% from the field, a result of the Timberwolves' strong defense throughout the game.
In the Eastern Conference, the host Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 109-108 in Game 3 to also take a 2-1 series lead. Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 24 points, CJ McCollum added 23 points, and Jonathan Kuminga contributed 21 points. The Knicks were led by OG Anunoby with 29 points, Jalen Brunson added 26 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 17 points.
In another Eastern Conference first-round series, the Toronto Raptors bounced back with a 126-104 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 after losing the first two games of the series.
