Jokic's Nuggets crash in Minnesota and Knicks knock off Hawks by 51 points
The Knicks, who swept Atlanta 140-89, await in the Eastern Conference semifinals the winner of the series between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, who forced a seventh and final game with their 106-93 win on Thursday.
Nikola Jokic
On a night full of frustration for Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets were eliminated Thursday to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, which saw the New York Knicks qualify with a shocking thrashing of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Knicks, who routed Atlanta 140-89, await in the Eastern Conference semifinals the winner of the series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, who forced a decisive Game 7 with their 106-93 victory Thursday.
The big surprise of the day, however, was the elimination of the Nuggets, which leaves the project led by Jokic since 2015 reeling.
Denver failed to capitalize on Minnesota’s significant injury absences—especially that of star Anthony Edwards—and fell 110-98, sealing its elimination with a 4-2 series loss.
The Timberwolves were scheduled to meet Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs in the West semifinals after ending the hopes of a second ring for Jokic, winner of three league Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.
The Serbian center had 28 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists but around him only forward Cam Johnson responded with 27 points.
The team’s second option, guard Jamal Murray, struggled with 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting from the field.
Jokic ended up frustrated by Rudy Gobert's effective scoring and receiving a technical foul after a shoving exchange with reserve Jaylen Clark, whom he sent to the floor.
The Nuggets hadn't fallen in the first round since 2022, a year before playing in the only Finals of 31-year-old Jokic's career.
The Nuggets already fired championship team coach Michael Malone last season and now fear the possibility that Jokic will reject the expected renewal offer.
Edwards in doubt
For their part, the Timberwolves, powered by 32 points and 10 rebounds from Jaden McDaniels, took advantage of the stifling atmosphere generated by their home crowd to reach the victory they were missing even with the absences of Edwards, who was averaging 18.5 points in the series, and two of their other leading scorers, Ayo Dosunmu (21.8) and Donte DiVincenzo (10.8).
Edwards' return during the Western semifinals is in serious doubt because of the left knee injury he suffered in Game 4 of this playoff series.
After limiting Jokic throughout this playoffs, Rudy Gobert (10 points and 13 rebounds) will now have the challenge of slowing down another French giant, phenom Victor Wembanyama.
Ridicule in Atlanta
In the East, the Knicks punched their ticket by a 4-2 aggregate and a final, crushing 140-89 victory on the Hawks' home court, bordering on the biggest drubbing in playoff history.
The Knicks did set a new record for a first half of a postseason game, with a 47-point lead (83-36).
The Knicks went on to reach a gap of 61 points (101-40) and Atlanta needed to fight until the final minute to avoid the largest deficit in a playoff game, which remains at 58 points.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby was the game's leading scorer with 29 points, 26 of them in a frenetic first half.
Game 7 in Boston
To know its next opponent, it will have to wait until Saturday, when the series between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, who on Thursday posted a 3-3 tie, will be resolved.
Shooting guard Tyrese Maxey commanded a Sixers that have grown with the return of Joel Embiid, who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Boston, the second seed and heavy favorite at the start of this key, found no alternatives to its drab night on the outside, shooting 29% (12-41) from three-point range.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were held to just 18 and 17 points for the Celtics, who are on the verge of becoming just the 14th team to let a 3-1 lead slip away.
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