Nikola Jokic emerged as a dominant force in the second half, contributing 24 of the Denver Nuggets’ 41 points, propelling them to a 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on the morning of April 11th.

Jokic’s stellar performance was complemented by 11 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, further solidifying the Nuggets’ position atop the Western Conference standings. With a record of 56-24, the Nuggets are poised to clinch the top spot in the West for the second consecutive season, pending victories against the San Antonio Spurs on April 5th and the Memphis Grizzlies on April 7th.

Jamal Murray added 20 points, while Michael Porter Jr. contributed 18 points to secure the victory. This win marked Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s 423rd victory, tying George Karl’s record for second place in NBA history. On the Timberwolves’ side, Anthony Edwards led the scoring with 25 points, supported by Mike Conley with 19 points and Rudy Gobert with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Despite their efforts, the Timberwolves slipped to second place in the Western Region standings, tied with the Thunder, who won against the Spurs earlier on Thursday. Minnesota continues to await the return of Karl-Anthony Towns from a knee injury for their last two regular-season games against the Atlanta Hawks on April 19th and the Phoenix Suns on April 21st.

The matchup between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves had a playoff-like intensity from the start, with both teams trading leads throughout the first three quarters. Although the Timberwolves held a narrow three-point lead at halftime, Jokic’s resilience and leadership propelled the Nuggets to a 83-80 advantage heading into the fourth quarter after a 9-1 scoring run.