Nuggets at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were expected to take a big step forward this season under head coach Tom Thibodeau, and they just showed off their capabilities for the first time. The Timberwolves will try to put together back-to-back strong performances when they host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
Minnesota dealt with some defensive lapses and poor execution on offense in tight losses at Memphis and Sacramento to begin the season but looked like a different team in the 116-80 crushing of the Memphis Grizzlies in the home opener on Tuesday. “We are still striving to be a 48-minute team," Thibodeau told reporters. "We’re not close to that yet and we know we have to work at that. We have to work each day. There are no shortcuts for us. We have to try to build the right habits every day." The Nuggets could use some work on being a 48-minute team as well after letting fourth-quarter leads slip away in losses to Portland and Toronto in the last two contests. "With the team that we have - all of the young guys, guys missing time and coming back, it’s positive that we are in games," Denver veteran forward Wilson Chandler told the Denver Post. "We’ve just got to figure out how to win those games."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (1-2): Denver is starting two centers in Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic and continues to get strong efforts from both. Nurkic logged a season-high 38 minutes on Monday at Toronto and responded with 13 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks while Jokic followed up a 23-point, 17-rebound effort against Portland with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting against the Raptors. "We just need to be more together with the defensive and offensive side," Nurkic told the Denver Post. "I think we have a great team, and we are very close to figuring out all four quarters."
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (1-2): Minnesota features arguably more young talent than any other team in the league and showed off its depth in Tuesday's win. Back-to-back Rookies of the Year Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are the headliners, but Zach LaVine took over the show with 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting and rookie point guard Kris Dunn thrived in his first start. Getting the starting nod in place of Ricky Rubio (elbow), Dunn contributed 10 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds to the win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nuggets G Gary Harris (groin) and F Darrell Arthur (knee) are both questionable.
2. Rubio was diagnosed with a sprained right elbow and is out indefinitely.
3. Denver took three of the four meetings last season and earned the win in its last four trips to Minnesota.