Missing Aaron Gordon wasn’t the only issue the Denver Nuggets had in Game 3.
The Minnesota Timberwolves completely handled Denver, 113-96, Thursday, April 23, taking a 2-1 series lead over the No. 3-seeded Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
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Throughout the game, offense was the issue, with three starters — Cameron Johnson, Spencer Jones and Christian Braun — combining to score just 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
It was a team effort, but Minnesota’s anchor down low, center Rudy Gobert, had a special night.
Gobert was a force on defense, especially on Nuggets All-Star and Most Valuable Player finalist Nikola Jokić. This has come on the heels of Gobert publicly expressing his displeasure that he was not named a finalist for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, which went to Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Jokić did end up with 27 points, but it came on an inefficient 7-of-26 (26.9%) shooting night, including a 2-of-10 showing from 3-point range.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen before Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The Nike Lebron XXIII shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against the Houston Rockets in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, at Crypto.com Arena.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 18: The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
Gobert was a big part of that. It also means that Jokić has now gone 15-of-46 (32.6%) over his last two games against Gobert and the Timberwolves. By comparison, Jokić shot the ball at a 56.9% clip this season.
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Here’s a look at some of the defensive and offensive highlights of Gobert getting the best of Jokić Thursday night:
Rudy Gobert highlights versus Nikola Jokić
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rudy Gobert bests Nikola Jokic as Timberwolves beat Nuggets in Game 3
