Nuggets vs Timberwolves, Game 3: Timberwolves win 113-96, Timberwolves lead series 2-1

Updated
NBA Playoffs · Western conference first round
Denver NuggetsNuggets
Playoffs 1-2 · Away
96–113
Final
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Minnesota TimberwolvesTimberwolves
Playoffs 2-1 · Home

2026 West First Round · Timberwolves lead 2-1

  1. G1DEN 116-105
  2. G2MIN 119-114
  3. G3MIN 113-96
  4. G4MIN 112-96
  5. G5DEN 125-113
  6. G6MIN 110-98

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Game 3 final: the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 113-96 on April 23, 2026 at Target Center. Timberwolves lead 2-1 after Game 3.

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Game Info

Date
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM PT
TV / Stream
Local: DAZN (Timberwolves)
Arena
Target Center, Minneapolis
Season
2025-26 NBA Season

Score by Quarter

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets1128292896
Timberwolves25362725113

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Recap

The Timberwolves lead the series 2-1.

Ayo Dosunmu led the Timberwolves with 25 points and 9 assists. Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with 27 points and 15 rebounds.

The Timberwolves did the damage in the 1st quarter, winning that period by 14.

Top Performers

Nuggets

Timberwolves

Team Stats

NuggetsStatTimberwolves
28-82Field Goals44-93
34.1%FG %47.3%
8-323-Pointers9-34
25.0%3P %26.5%
32-40Free Throws16-21
80.0%FT %76.2%
40Rebounds53
6Off. Rebounds12
12Assists31
5Steals6
2Blocks5
10Turnovers10
18Fouls27
0Biggest Lead27

Four Factors

TeamEffective FG%Turnover %Off. rebound %FT rate (FTM/FGA)
Nuggets39.0%9.1%12.8%0.390
Timberwolves52.2%8.9%26.1%0.172

Dean Oliver's four factors decide most games: shooting, turnovers, offensive rebounding and free throws. Better side highlighted.

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Box Score

Denver Nuggets
PlayerMINPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG3PTFT+/-
Nikola Jokić C35271532047-262-1011-11-21
Jamal Murray G3416340015-170-56-7-12
Cameron Johnson F236211002-60-32-2-14
Christian Braun G232200100-40-12-4-19
Spencer Jones F286100112-32-20-0-5
Bench
Julian Strawther G146300022-71-31-20
Bruce Brown GF239421014-70-01-2-3
Tyus Jones G42000001-20-10-00
Tim Hardaway Jr. GF2711500013-82-63-4-13
DaRon Holmes II FC40200000-00-00-00
Jalen Pickett G41010000-00-01-20
Zeke Nnaji FC1610311002-21-15-6+2
Minnesota Timberwolves
PlayerMINPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG3PTFT+/-
Donte DiVincenzo G3215474016-133-80-0+20
Jaden McDaniels F40201031109-131-31-1+8
Rudy Gobert C36101230303-70-04-5+18
Julius Randle FC3215640116-150-33-6+8
Anthony Edwards G2317530026-152-83-3+11
Bench
Kyle Anderson F50000000-10-00-0+3
Mike Conley G00000000-10-10-00
Julian Phillips F10101000-00-00-0+3
Bones Hyland G156400022-52-40-0-1
Ayo Dosunmu G31253900210-150-35-6+11
Naz Reid CF175620022-71-40-0+4
Joan Beringer C00200000-10-00-00
Joe Ingles F00000000-00-00-00

Game Flow

Timberwolves leadNuggets lead
Q1Q2Q3Q4
Lead changes
0
Times tied
0
Timberwolves largest lead
27
Nuggets largest lead
0
Play-by-Play

Scoring plays, newest first. Score shown Nuggets-Timberwolves.

1st Quarter 20 scoring plays
  • 0:10TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +211-25
  • 0:29TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +211-23
  • 1:09NuggetsNikola Jokić +111-21
  • 1:09NuggetsNikola Jokić +110-21
  • 1:22TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +19-21
  • 1:22TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +29-20
  • 1:42NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +39-18
  • 3:25TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +26-18
  • 4:19TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +26-16
  • 4:43NuggetsNikola Jokić +26-14
  • 4:59TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +24-14
  • 5:51TimberwolvesJulius Randle +24-12
  • 7:48TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +34-10
  • 8:00NuggetsJamal Murray +14-7
  • 8:00NuggetsJamal Murray +13-7
  • 8:24TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +22-7
  • 8:40NuggetsJamal Murray +22-5
  • 9:48TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +20-5
  • 10:30TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +10-3
  • 10:30TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +20-2
2nd Quarter 34 scoring plays
  • 0:18TimberwolvesJulius Randle +239-61
  • 1:03TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +139-59
  • 1:03TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +139-58
  • 1:31NuggetsChristian Braun +139-57
  • 2:10TimberwolvesJulius Randle +238-57
  • 2:23NuggetsNikola Jokić +138-55
  • 2:23NuggetsNikola Jokić +137-55
  • 2:57NuggetsJamal Murray +236-55
  • 3:30NuggetsNikola Jokić +234-55
  • 3:43TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +332-55
  • 3:57NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +232-52
  • 4:21TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +230-52
  • 4:39TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +230-50
  • 4:58NuggetsChristian Braun +130-48
  • 5:12TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +229-48
  • 5:31TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +329-46
  • 5:45NuggetsNikola Jokić +229-43
  • 6:25NuggetsBruce Brown +227-43
  • 6:40TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +225-43
  • 6:47NuggetsNikola Jokić +325-41
  • 7:01TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +322-41
  • 7:19TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +222-38
  • 7:54TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +222-36
  • 8:16TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +222-34
  • 8:25NuggetsJamal Murray +222-32
  • 9:26NuggetsZeke Nnaji +320-32
  • 9:33NuggetsBruce Brown +117-32
  • 9:45TimberwolvesJulius Randle +116-32
  • 9:55NuggetsZeke Nnaji +116-31
  • 10:04TimberwolvesNaz Reid +315-31
  • 10:21NuggetsBruce Brown +215-28
  • 10:53NuggetsZeke Nnaji +213-28
  • 11:25TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +111-28
  • 11:25TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +211-27
3rd Quarter 35 scoring plays
  • 0:01NuggetsBruce Brown +268-88
  • 0:08TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +266-88
  • 0:20NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +166-86
  • 0:20NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +165-86
  • 0:52NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +364-86
  • 1:03TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +161-86
  • 1:16NuggetsJulian Strawther +161-85
  • 1:27TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +160-85
  • 1:27TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +160-84
  • 1:57NuggetsNikola Jokić +260-83
  • 2:07TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +158-83
  • 2:27TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +258-82
  • 2:38NuggetsNikola Jokić +158-80
  • 2:38NuggetsNikola Jokić +157-80
  • 2:48TimberwolvesBones Hyland +356-80
  • 3:26NuggetsJamal Murray +156-77
  • 3:26NuggetsJamal Murray +155-77
  • 4:10TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +254-77
  • 4:49NuggetsJamal Murray +154-75
  • 5:01TimberwolvesNaz Reid +253-75
  • 6:00TimberwolvesBones Hyland +353-73
  • 6:12NuggetsNikola Jokić +253-70
  • 7:16NuggetsCameron Johnson +151-70
  • 7:16NuggetsCameron Johnson +150-70
  • 7:54NuggetsNikola Jokić +149-70
  • 7:54NuggetsNikola Jokić +148-70
  • 8:16TimberwolvesJulius Randle +247-70
  • 8:32TimberwolvesJulius Randle +147-68
  • 8:54NuggetsCameron Johnson +247-67
  • 9:09NuggetsCameron Johnson +245-67
  • 9:35NuggetsSpencer Jones +343-67
  • 9:49TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +240-67
  • 10:34TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +240-65
  • 11:00NuggetsJamal Murray +140-63
  • 11:16TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +239-63
4th Quarter 31 scoring plays
  • 0:51TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +296-113
  • 1:02TimberwolvesDonte DiVincenzo +396-111
  • 1:13NuggetsTyus Jones +296-108
  • 1:21TimberwolvesJulius Randle +194-108
  • 1:42NuggetsZeke Nnaji +194-107
  • 1:42NuggetsZeke Nnaji +193-107
  • 1:53TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +292-107
  • 2:15NuggetsJulian Strawther +292-105
  • 2:30TimberwolvesJulius Randle +290-105
  • 3:10NuggetsJalen Pickett +190-103
  • 3:53NuggetsJulian Strawther +389-103
  • 4:10TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +286-103
  • 4:23NuggetsBruce Brown +286-101
  • 4:37TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +384-101
  • 4:59NuggetsNikola Jokić +184-98
  • 4:59NuggetsNikola Jokić +183-98
  • 4:59NuggetsNikola Jokić +182-98
  • 6:04NuggetsJamal Murray +281-98
  • 6:23TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +179-98
  • 6:23TimberwolvesRudy Gobert +179-97
  • 6:38NuggetsNikola Jokić +379-96
  • 6:53TimberwolvesJaden McDaniels +276-96
  • 7:36TimberwolvesJulius Randle +276-94
  • 7:47NuggetsTim Hardaway Jr. +176-92
  • 8:39NuggetsSpencer Jones +375-92
  • 9:08TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +172-92
  • 9:08TimberwolvesAnthony Edwards +172-91
  • 9:30TimberwolvesAyo Dosunmu +272-90
  • 10:22NuggetsJamal Murray +272-88
  • 11:13NuggetsZeke Nnaji +170-88
  • 11:13NuggetsZeke Nnaji +169-88

Next for the Timberwolves

West Conference Semifinals: Spurs vs Timberwolves · Spurs win 4-2

Spurs vs Timberwolves series ›

Nuggets vs Timberwolves: Series So Far

GameDateMatchupResultTop scorer
Game 1Apr 18Timberwolves @ NuggetsNuggets 116-105Jamal Murray 30
Game 2Apr 20Timberwolves @ NuggetsTimberwolves 119-114Jamal Murray 30
Game 3Apr 23Nuggets @ TimberwolvesTimberwolves 113-96Nikola Jokić 27
Game 4Apr 25Nuggets @ TimberwolvesTimberwolves 112-96Ayo Dosunmu 43
Game 5Apr 27Timberwolves @ NuggetsNuggets 125-113Julius Randle 27
Game 6Apr 30Nuggets @ TimberwolvesTimberwolves 110-98Jaden McDaniels 32

Full series page ›

Series Leaders

Nuggets

Timberwolves

Per-game averages in this series, top three scorers per team.

More NBA Games on Apr 23, 2026

That covers Nuggets vs Timberwolves: score, leaders and box score above. Next: Nuggets host the Timberwolves May 2; Timberwolves visit the Nuggets May 2.

Nuggets vs Timberwolves FAQs

Who won Nuggets vs Timberwolves Game 3?

The Minnesota Timberwolves won 113-96 on April 23, 2026. Timberwolves lead 2-1 after Game 3.

What is the Nuggets vs Timberwolves series score?

Timberwolves lead 2-1 in the 2026 West First Round.

Who was the top scorer in Nuggets vs Timberwolves?

Nikola Jokić scored 27 for the Nuggets. Ayo Dosunmu scored 25 for the Timberwolves.