Story perspectives

Timberwolves oust Nuggets; Knicks rout Hawks; 76ers force Game 7

5/1/2026

Summary

Timberwolves Eliminate

Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6, with Jaden McDaniels scoring 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Nikola Jokic posted 28 points on 58% shooting.
The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 140-89, a 51-point margin, as O.G. Anunoby contributed 29 points.
The 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 106-93 to force a Game 7, with Joel Embiid returning after appendicitis and Tyrese Maxey scoring 30 points.

Summary

Jokic Free Agency

Nikola Jokic will be a restricted free agent in July with two years and $121.9 million left, after he declined a three-year, $207 million extension last offseason.
Aaron Gordon missed Games 3, 5, 6 after a hamstring strain in Game 2 and played limited minutes in Game 4, while Peyton Watson missed with a hamstring strain from April 1.
Cam Johnson, acquired for Michael Porter Jr., scored 27 points in Game 6 after modest outputs in the other two losses.

Summary

Jokic Blames

Denver's defense, ranked 21st, was a decisive factor in the loss.
Nikola Jokic defended coach David Adelman, blaming the team’s execution and effort.
Rudy Gobert anchored Minnesota’s interior defense, holding Denver to 64 paint points in Game 6.
Jamal Murray shot 35.6 % overall, reflecting Denver’s broader offensive inconsistency throughout the series.
The defeat, only the second first-round exit in Nikola Jokic’s career, fuels offseason roster debates.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement raised the salary cap to $37.1 million, the first major hike since the cap’s 1984-85 reinstatement. The soft-cap system, using the Larry Bird exception, let teams like the Denver Nuggets exceed the limit in the late 1990s and sign large deals. Nikola Jokic’s restricted-free-agent contract follows that precedent.

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Timberwolves Eliminate

Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6, with Jaden McDaniels scoring 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Nikola Jokic posted 28 points on 58% shooting.
The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 140-89, a 51-point margin, as O.G. Anunoby contributed 29 points.
The 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 106-93 to force a Game 7, with Joel Embiid returning after appendicitis and Tyrese Maxey scoring 30 points.

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