Nuggets Player Grades: How Nikola Jokic, Murray Performed vs. Wolves

The Denver Nuggets' 2025-26 campaign has officially come to a close after a humbling first-round series vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, wrapping up in a 98-110 road loss in the Twin Cities that now effectively takes the Nuggets back to the drawing board.

But before the offseason chatter gets fully unpacked for this team, let's break down some Nuggets playoff series grades for each of the team's top rotational players:

Nikola Jokic

Sure, Jokic had his fair share of low-lights throughout the series, as did every player that got minutes in the Nuggets rotation.

Jokic's came from his shaky shooting numbers, averaging just 19.4% from three throughout all six games, and paired with a true defensive masterclass from Rudy Gobert on the other end

But without Jokic's near-triple-double average throughout the series and his high floor as a consistent scoring and all-around offensive generator, the Nuggets lose this one in a convincing sweep instead of extending to two extra games.

Jokic started to find his groove as the series went deeper into Games 5 and 6, but it was too little, too late against this stout Minnesota defensive matchup.

Jamal Murray

For someone like Jamal Murray who's made a name for himself as a playoff riser and someone to call upon in big moments, this series was a lowlight for that narrative.

Murray averaged nearly 24 points per game, but it came off an ugly 35.7% shooting from the field and 21.5 total shots a night. It seemed like every game that the Nuggets' All-Star tried to find a spark, things just kept getting bleaker.

Between brutal second-half performances and long-spanning shooting slumps, Murray was among the vast collection of players in the Nuggets rotation who surprisingly shrunk on the offensive end— coming off a season in which the team ranked near the top of the league on that end of the floor, despite consistent injury.

But of those candidates on the Nuggets roster, none of those fallers on the offensive end come as eye-catching as Murray and his drop-off.

Aaron Gordon

It's hard to really judge his playoff slate in totality, considering he was injured for multiple games and probably not at a true 100% in the moments when he was on the floor. So he's getting an "I" for incomplete.

Being without Gordon clearly takes a major chunk of versatility out of the Nuggets lineup on both ends of the floor. That showed itself in every game Denver was forced to be without him in this series. But even with a healthy Gordon in the lineup, they still might not advance past the physicality and toughness Minnesota emerged with.

Christian Braun

This was not the series for Christian Braun.

Offensively, things never turned around for Braun as he would average just over eight games throughout his six-game span, but the defensive impact wasn't quite there as expected either.

Multiple Wolves players in the backcourt had games to remember over Denver's spotty defense, whether it be Anthony Edwards or Ayo Dosunmo, which can rely heavily on the shoulders of the Nuggets' $125 million man to prevent those from unfolding in the first place.

It's in high-stakes playoff moments like this where Braun is expected to rise to the occasion on both ends. That didn't happen against Minnesota, and already leaves the Nuggets with some severe buyer’s remorse from the extension they paid out in October.

Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson gave the Nuggets some real life on the road in Game 6 with 27 points and five made three; second behind Jokic's 28-piece.

But before Minnesota closed things out, Johnson also found himself a part of Denver's lingering offensive woes that plagued them throughout the series.

In Games 1 through 5, Johnson shot a collective 5-25 from three, and was a little representative of what his season has been like in the Mile High as a whole: up-and-down.

He doesn't exactly get a failing grade for the series, but he's not passing with flying colors, either.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Another victim of the Nuggets' shooting struggles, Hardaway Jr. was Denver's bench spark plug and Sixth Man of the Year finalist that failed to turn things on like this rotation needed them to.

He failed to make three or more threes in any performance outside of Game 2's loss, and shot a combined 25% for the series outside of that showing.

Hardaway Jr. was still somewhat of a steadying force on the offensive end after the entire rotation had dealt with inconsistencies. But he still performed a step below the hot hand he had entered the playoffs with from the regular season.

Spencer Jones

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) dribbles the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) plays defense in the second half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Jones deserves a round of applause for the way he handled this series.

Jones went from an afterthought in the rotation from Games 1 and 2 to emerging into a critical piece of the frontcourt by the end of it following Gordon's calf injury. And in the reps that he did get, he took advantage in a big way.

Jones provided size and versatility Denver desperately needed on the defensive end, kept the Nuggets' postseason hopes alive himself in Game 5 with 20 points on 7-9 shooting from the field. Game 6 presented an impactful performance as well, but not enough to extend things once more.

Outside of Jokic, if anyone deserves their flowers for a standout series in the Nuggets' loss, Jones is that guy.

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