DENVER _ There are some fans out there who may want to the Wolves to tank. With the playoffs an unlikely goal, they want the Wolves to improve their position in the NBA's draft lottery.
The Wolves have rejected this notion, with interim coach Ryan Saunders saying multiple times over the last week the Wolves will put the most competitive team they can on the floor.
Fortunately for those hoping for improved draft odds, the injury bug is doing their bidding. The Wolves were down five key contributors Tuesday and even though the remaining players gave maximum effort, they were no match for the Nuggets in a 133-107 loss at the Pepsi Center.
Andrew Wiggins, Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague joined Luol Deng and Robert Covington on the shelf for Tuesday's game and despite another eye-popping effort from Karl-Anthony Towns, 34 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a right knee injury, the Nuggets kept coming at the Wolves in waves.
Jamal Murray led a balanced scoring effort for Denver with 30 points while Nikola Jokic added 18 in his duel with Towns.
These two teams were in the same place a season ago. It was the Wolves who defeated the Nuggets a season ago to make it into the playoffs for the first time since 2004. But they are in very different places now, and the Wolves would love to be on the same trajectory as Denver.
The first minutes featured a tango between Jokic and Towns, as the two All-Stars guarded each other. With the starters on the floor the Wolves were able to stay within one or two possessions of the Nuggets. Denver led just 20-16 at the 3:54 mark. But Denver's depth helped it build an early lead over the Wolves.
With Teague (left foot inflammation) and Rose (right elbow sorness) out, the Wolves had a unique second unit_Jerryd Bayless, Anthony Tolliver, Cameron Reynolds, C.J. Williams and Taj Gibson. It seemed like the Nuggets would begin to roll. They closed the quarter on a 13-4 run after Monte Morris beat the buzzer with a three-pointer.
The makeshift second unit held its own at the start of the second and kept the Wolves in it. Reynolds hit a pair of threes and a three and a dunk from Williams pulled the Wolves within 36-32 and helped bridge the gap until the starters could re-enter. Towns was cooking inside, scoring 18 points in the first half, including a pair of authoritative dunks inside although Denver would extend the lead to 10 by halftime.
Towns kept up his offensive tear in the third quarter, playing like a man possessed and one determined to show he deserves All-NBA consideration alongside Jokic, who may get the honor as well. At one point, Towns employed a little shove to get Jokic on skates and then nailed a pullback jumper.
Only issue for the Wolves was the Nuggets still had little trouble scoring opened their lead to as many as 17 following a Murray step-back jumper.
Paul Millsap hit a deflating half-court three-pointer to put Denver ahead 94-78 headed into the fourth quarter and the Wolves never much threatened from there as Denver blew it open.
