**Jokic Will Feast, But Minnesota's Defense Has Other Plans**
The key matchup is Rudy Gobert vs. Nikola Jokic โ two of the best big men in the league going head-to-head, and whoever wins that battle almost certainly wins the game.
Denver's 54-28 record isn't a fluke. Jokic is putting up another MVP-caliber season, and the Nuggets have been one of the most consistent teams in the West all year. Minnesota at 49-33 is no pushover though โ Anthony Edwards has been electric lately, and the Wolves' defense ranks among the top five in the league.
Hot take: Gobert gets the better of Jokic on this night.
Minnesota wins 112-107. Edwards drops 28, Gobert holds Jokic under 22, and the Wolves' home crowd at Target Center makes Denver's late-game execution just uncomfortable enough to seal it.
Predictions are for entertainment purposes only. Not gambling advice.