WWE SmackDown April 24, 2026: Start Time, Location And Preview
WWE SmackDown on April 24, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas - Start Time and Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Denver Nuggets 113-96 in Game 3, taking a 2-1 series lead. The Timberwolves' strong defense limited Nikola Jokić to 27 points on poor shooting.
This wasn’t close. With the Denver Nuggets missing Aaron Gordon with a calf injury, the Minnesota Timberwolves jumped out to a 25-11 first-quarter lead in Game 3 and never looked back. The Wolves came away with a 113-96 victory and a 2-1 series lead behind a team effort and a dominating defensive performance that included holding Nikola Jokić to 27 points on 7-for-26 shooting.
Let’s get to some takeaways.
The Nuggets led the NBA this season in points per game (122.1 PPG). The Nuggets led the NBA this season in offensive rating (121.2). The Nuggets scored 96 points in Game 3.
Minnesota pressured and sped up the Nuggets right from the jump. By the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets were 3 for 21 from the field (1 of 9 from 3). Active ball pressure bogged the Nuggets’ attack down, physicality disrupted their off-ball movement. The Wolves flew around all night long to keep Denver in a box. Denver had only 12 assists as a team in Game 3. For comparison, Jokić averaged 10.7 a night in the regular season.
Rudy Gobert protected the paint and contested versus Jokić. Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo hounded Jamal Murray. Denver’s dynamic duo combined to shoot 12 for 43, a credit to the Wolves’ game plan and execution.
If you wondered what the ceiling was for Minnesota after it added Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline, it was on display in Game 3. His ability to defend and attack in transition always jumped off the page, but on Thursday night we saw a command within what Minnesota wanted to do. His drives were consistent, his paint touches were important and his ability to punish Denver’s defense was key. He and DiVincenzo allowed the Wolves to find a flow in the second quarter.
The final score was 113-96 in favor of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves' defense was dominant, holding the Nuggets to just 96 points and limiting Nikola Jokić to 27 points on 7-for-26 shooting.
Aaron Gordon's absence due to a calf injury significantly affected the Nuggets' performance, contributing to their poor shooting and low assist numbers.
The series score is now 2-1 in favor of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
WWE SmackDown on April 24, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas - Start Time and Preview

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Think about this: Anthony Edwards played only 23 minutes, with eight of those coming in the second half, and I did not feel that until typing this very sentence. That was the impact of the team effort from Minnesota.
McDaniels set the tone with his postgame comments after Game 2. It’s one thing to talk the talk, it’s another thing to walk the walk, and he ended up strutting like Oba Femi in this one. The ball pressure and screen navigation against Murray were one thing, but the cuts, drives and dunks offensively were another.
It would be hyperbole to call this Gobert’s most impactful game, but it was a reminder of his impact for Minnesota. There was a confidence from Gobert (see: left-hand hook), a command as far as keeping the flow going, and a trust from his teammates to make the right play.
Losing Gordon was a big blow, but the contrast between the group we saw in Game 1 and the group we saw in Game 3 is like night and day. Jokić/Murray shooting aside, this was one of the rare occasions we didn’t feel the force of Denver’s offense. All of their off-ball actions, cuts and movement were disrupted.
Ball movement became a stagnant adventure. Transition attacks did not feel as dangerous. Pressure points were not hit. The defense that looked great in Game 1 and slipped in Game 2 disappeared in Game 3.
The Nuggets have to get back to (at the very least) their identity to deal with this Wolves team. The offense has to keep the pressure on, getting the ball where they want, and playing with their tempo. And the defense cannot be what we’ve seen the last two games. The formula is there, but the effort has to match: never forget that Wolves can detect their prey.