Nikola Jokic Stats Tonight: How did the Nuggets superstar fare against the new-look Timberwolves? (Nov. 1)

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have faced difficulties in finding their rhythm at the start of this season, and their struggles continued as they narrowly lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road Friday night. After mounting a fourth-quarter comeback to wipe out Minnesota’s 16-point lead and establish a 10-point advantage, the Nuggets surrendered a 10-0 run to close out the game, ultimately losing 119-116.

Since their championship victory in 2023, they have had trouble recapturing their on-court brilliance, and this season has proven to be their toughest yet.

On Friday night, the Nuggets faced the Timberwolves, the team that knocked them out of last season's playoffs, hoping to earn a third consecutive victory. Both teams have undergone changes since their Western Conference Semifinals matchup, particularly the Timberwolves, who traded Karl-Anthony Towns and brought in Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

With both rosters revamped, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic aimed to lead his team to victory but missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. Here are his stats from tonight’s game.

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	AST	REB	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	STL	BLK	TO	PF	=+/-
Nikola Jokić	39:42	26	13	9	8	16	50.0	2	3	66.7	8	10	80.0	2	7	3	1	3	1	6

Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr. contributed 26 points and Christian Braun added 14.

Anthony Edwards topped the Timberwolves with 29 points, Rudy Gobert recorded 17 points and 14 rebounds and Julius Randle chipped in with 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Nikola Jokic’s teammate says the Nuggets could be dismantled if 2024 season proves to be unsuccessful

In an interview with ESPN, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. acknowledged the possibility that the team could be broken up if they continue to struggle this year. Since their 2023 championship run, Denver has lost several key players around Nikola Jokic, including Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

"If we don't win it this year, we all know they might have to break it up,” Porter Jr. said.

Porter Jr. has been experiencing difficulties this season, entering tonight's game with a 29.6% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, a significant decline from last season’s 39.7%. His average of 13 points per game is among the lowest of his career.

Another issue for the Nuggets has been their bench play. Their reserves rank third-worst in bench scoring, contributing only 22.5 ppg while shooting a league-low 32.6%. This bench-scoring issue plagued the Nuggets last season as well, finishing 25th in the category with an average of 29.4 points per game.