Nuggets Putting Pedal to Metal in Search of First Franchise Sweep

The Nuggets entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and their apparent mission is to show the basketball world they’re for real.

So far, so good, as they hold a 3-0 series lead over the Timberwolves, courtesy of a 120-111 road win on Friday.

No team has overcome a 3-0 deficit, and the Nuggets’ mission was to give themselves that seemingly insurmountable advantage.

In other words, they want to get the series over quickly. 

Center Nikola Jokic again did it all — compiling a triple-double of 20 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.

“We didn’t wanna give them life,” Jokic said, via Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “We wanted to be the aggressor. We wanted to punch them first. They need to react to us. That was our plan. I think we did a good job.”

Forward Michael Porter Jr., who has really come to life this postseason, said it’s really just business as usual for the Nuggets. In fact, they are aiming to step it up even more now.

“Man, we have a sense of urgency this whole playoffs,” Porter said, via Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “You gotta win 16 games to win a championship.”

So what’s next for the Nuggets? Well, the immediate goal is to sweep and advance.

“Up 3-0, our mindset right now is — no disrespect to the T-Wolves because this is about us — but we don’t want to go back to Denver,” coach Michael Malone said, via Lopez.

Interestingly, the Nuggets are just one of four franchises that have never swept a playoff series.

“We know to close out a series a lot of times can be the hardest game,” Malone said. “I’m hoping that we can find a way. Don’t have a mindset of ‘Hey, we can just go back and close it in Denver.’ Our mindset should be to close it in Game 4.”