The Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff win over the Denver Nuggets ended in chaos on Saturday night after an explosive fracas broke out on the court.
As his team moved 3-1 ahead in the first-round series, Timberwolves star Jaden McDaniels angered Nuggets rival Nikola Jokic when he ran through unchallenged and scored a meaningless layup with 1.3 seconds remaining to seal a 112-96 victory.
Jokic, seemingly incensed by a move he considered unsportsmanlike, made an immediate beeline for McDaniels as he sprinted across the court to confront him.
And the Serbian center’s furious reaction sparked a huge brawl before the end of the game, with players and coaches from both teams getting caught up in the madness.
After McDaniels laughed in the face of Jokic and then pushed him away, a number of their teammates darted over to offer support, while several coaches desperately tried to split it up.
Minnesota forward Julius Randle completely lost his cool at one stage, reacting violently to Denver’s Bruce Brown accidentally hitting him in the face amid the melee.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff win over the Denver Nuggets ended in chaos Saturday
Both Randle and Jokic were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after the scuffle.
The two players could now face fines from the NBA after being thrown out of Saturday’s game with just over a second remaining.
While some may argue that McDaniels’ showboating was unnecessary, Jokic lost his cool at the end of a frustrating night for the Nuggets, whose playoff hopes are in ruins after falling 3-1 behind in the series.
Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points for the Timberwolves, stepping up after serious leg injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years.
Dosunmu – who made 13 of 17 shots, including 5 of 5 from behind the arc – had the best performance by a sub since Fred Brown scored 45 off the bench for Seattle in a 116-111 loss to Phoenix on April 15, 1976.
The 26-year-old also scored all 12 of his free throw attempts, providing even more than the Wolves could have imagined when they acquired him from Chicago in February.
Naz Reid had 17 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, while Randle added 15 points and nine boards.
Minnesota has won the last three games and can end the series in Game 5 on Monday in Denver.
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Is it ever acceptable for players to escalate conflicts after perceived showboating in high-stakes games?
Nikola Jokic (left) was left furious after Jaden McDaniels (right) scored a meaningless layup
Jokic and Minnesota’s Julis Randle (pictured) were both ejected following the violent melee
The Timberwolves won Saturday’s game despite star man Anthony Edwards going off injured
Jamal Murray led Denver with 30 points. Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists for the Nuggets, who were just 6 for 27 (22 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter before the Timberwolves used their defense to get back into the game. Bones Hyland and Dosunmu scored breakaway layups on consecutive possessions after Minnesota forced the Nuggets to turn it over near halfcourt.
Randle added a steal and fast-break dunk to put the Wolves up by four after three quarters.
Dosunmu had another steal and layup as part of a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter that gave Minnesota a 95-82 lead. The basket that pushed the lead into double digits was a 3-pointer by 38-year-old Mike Conley, who played 20 minutes while filling in for DiVincenzo and Edwards.
DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles tendon just minutes into Saturday’s Game 4, before Edwards went down with a sickening leg injury after landing awkwardly and appearing to hyperextend his left knee.
