The Minnesota Timberwolves will be the ones initially tasked with trying to stop Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to open the NBA Playoffs, and one of the players who will be tasked with handling him is already looking to the heavens for answers.
Timberwolves big man Julius Randle joked his first strategy in trying to contain Jokic would be prayer. He said the team would be prepared for the challenge, but would be putting in some extra pleas with God before the series.
“Probably got to call God and talk to him a little bit,” Randle said. “Ask him for a few favors. It’s going to be a tough matchup.”
"Probably got to call 𝑮𝑶𝑫 and talk to him for a little bit." – Julius Randle on guarding Nikola Jokic 🙏🤣
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) April 15, 2026
"Ask him for a few favors." 😇
📽️ @Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/r5VRZcNTHi
Rudy Gobert, not Randle, will be primarily tasked with keeping Jokic in check. He and the Timberwolves have not had much luck this season, as Jokic averaged 35.8 points, 15 rebounds, and 11.3 assists per game in four games against Minnesota during the regular season.
This will be the third time in four postseasons that the Nuggets and Timberwolves will face off. The teams split the first two, making this something of a grudge match.
