“Why did you wave at the crowd?”- Nikola Jokic’s alleged heated conversation with Anthony Edwards leaked
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets became the six consecutive defending champions who failed to defend their crown after a 98-90 Game 7 loss to Anthony Edwards and Co. Jokic, and the Nuggets had moments where they didn't seem to take the loss well.
One of those instances was late in the fourth as the Timberwolves inched closer to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory.
As Timberwolves' All-Star Edwards mocked the Denver fans by waving at them with the time still left in the game, Jokic charged at his counterpart. The alleged leaked audio by "X" user LegendZ suggested the three-time MVP questioned Edwards about it.
"Why did you wave at the crowd?" Jokic asked.
Anthony Edwards responded by pointing at the scoreboard, reminding the fans that it was time to go home as Denver's season had ended. Nikola Jokic walked away after that brief heated conversation as the Edwards and the Timberwolves celebrated their massive comeback win.
It was a frustrating night for the Nuggets after they blew a 20-point second-half lead at home to lose the series 4-3. The Nuggets were the overwhelming favorites to win the West. Still, they endured their most difficult challenge against Minnesota since 2023, failing to prevail against the only 50+ win team they prevailed against in that stretch.
Nikola Jokic finished the game with 34 points on 46.4% shooting, while Anthony Edwards had 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals. It wasn't the best shooting night for "Ant-Man" as he went 6 of 24 from the field, but he compensated for it with excellent defense on Jamal Murray in the pivotal third-quarter run.
Nikola Jokic concedes Anthony Edwards and Timberwolves are built to beat them
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets finally met their biggest challenge against a team, with the matchup advantage and tools to beat them in multiple facets. The Nuggets' size, shooting and execution didn't carry them against Anthony Edwards and Co. because they had the counters for Denver's roster strengths, with potentially a better team.
“Yes. I think they’re [Timberwolves] built to beat us," Nikola Jokic said after Game 7's loss. "They have basically two All-Stars, two All-Defensive First Team players, and Mike Conley, who’s the most underrated player in the NBA probably. I love the guy. He’s so good.”
The Timberwolves had a frontcourt lineup slightly oversized than the Nuggets, with Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. One of the advantages they also had was the quickness and athleticism. The trio was also better on the defensive side of the ball.
The backcourt of Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards was comparatively a bit smaller against Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but that didn't matter because of their length and defensive versatility.
The Timberwolves also had better options off the bench, giving them a shot in the arm. The Nuggets had no response for the quality reigning 6th Man of the Year Naz Reid provided for Minnesota. They missed Bruce Brown's services in that aspect this year.
He was a crucial member of their championship run in 2023, but Denver's lack of flexibility to resign him led to his departure for a more lucrative deal in Indiana.