Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Nuggets Force Game 7 Behind Jokic Triple-Double

4/30/2026

41 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Nuggets Force Game 7

The Denver Nuggets entered Game 6 of the first-round series trailing 3-2 and needing a win to force Game 7.
Minnesota, missing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, faced Denver, which was without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson.
Denver entered as 5.5-point road underdogs.
Nikola Jokic recorded a 27-12-16 triple-double and Jamal Murray added 24 points in the 125-113 Game 5 win, when Minnesota committed 25 turnovers, its series high.

Summary

Wolves Must-Win

Coach Chris Finch urged the Wolves to treat Game 6 as a must-win, saying every loose ball could decide the series.
The plan limits Denver’s transition by valuing each possession and avoiding lazy cross-court passes.
Defensive focus calls for securing every offensive rebound to stop a Nikola Jokic three-point play.
Spencer Jones’s recent three-point surge is seen as a key factor that could swing momentum if the Wolves cannot contain him.

History

Historical Context

After Leslie Alexander bought the Rockets in July 1993, Rudy Tomjanovich led a 58-win, 15-0-start team anchored by MVP Hakeem Olajuwon. The club shed the “Choke City” label by overturning a 2-0 deficit in the Western semifinals and then erased a 3-2 NBA Finals hole in 1994, beating the New York Knicks 84-81 in Game 7 to claim its first championship.

1 of 3

Nuggets Force Game 7

The Denver Nuggets entered Game 6 of the first-round series trailing 3-2 and needing a win to force Game 7.
Minnesota, missing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, faced Denver, which was without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson.
Denver entered as 5.5-point road underdogs.
Nikola Jokic recorded a 27-12-16 triple-double and Jamal Murray added 24 points in the 125-113 Game 5 win, when Minnesota committed 25 turnovers, its series high.

1 / 3