WATCH: Nikola Jokic tells reporters the Nuggets need to clone him if they want to stop Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid following 106-99 Game 1 loss to the T-Wolves

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets lost at home in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series last night to the Minnesota Timberwolves by a final score of 106-99. 

The home playoff loss for Denver marked just the second loss in the last two seasons at home – the other happening to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals last year. 

Jokic dropped 32 points to go along with eight rebounds and nine assists but the Timberwolves three-headed monster in the front court, featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert were too much to handle. Nikola Jokic finished with single figure numbers in both rebounds and assists for just the tenth time all year.

Following the game, Jokic spoke with the media and fielded a question as to how he and the Nuggets could slow down the Gobert-Towns-Reid trio for the rest of the series. 

Jokic jokingly told reporters that the only way that could happen is if the Nuggets somehow had a duplicate clone for himself. 

Nikola Jokic tells reporters Nuggets need to clone him to stop T-Wolves

Nikola Jokic on how he can be effective against Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid: “To have a duplicate clone of myself.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/39piWb1eKo

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 5, 2024

Jokic isn’t wrong. Aaron Gordon is 6’8” and at times, can dominate from the dunker’s spot but proved to be outmatched last night. Michael Porter Jr is 6’10” but mainly operates along the perimeter and Jokic’s backup DeAndre Jordan hasn’t been a factor anywhere – which we witnessed here in Philadelphia three years ago when he was given an increase in playing time against the Miami Heat in the playoffs with Joel Embiid injured. 

Maybe the Nuggets can look at Strahinja Jokic and/or Nemanja Jokic? Nikola’s brothers are both larger than him but at the same time – who will patrol the stands without the two enforcers keeping watch? 

Honestly, it looked like the Nuggets were outnumbered last night all over the court. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can stop Anthony Edwards. 

Anthony Edwards Dagger vs Nuggets 

Anthony Edwards is just Michael Jordan with a 4K highlight reel pic.twitter.com/KSoU5nlkAN

— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) May 5, 2024

Edwards scored a playoff career-high and franchise postseason record 43 points last night. Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid had 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. Gobert, primarily impacting the game on defense, had 6-points to go along with 13 rebounds and 3 blocks while Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points. 

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