On Friday, the Nuggets became the first team in NBA playoff history to win a Game 3 by a margin of 27 points after dropping the first two games at home.
Denver head coach Michael Malone’s team broke the previous record set by the Rockets who dropped two home games to the SuperSonics in the 1984 West semis before winning Game 3 by a 102-84 margin.
Denver’s victory margin of 27 points could have been bigger if Malone hadn’t pulled his starters with a little over five minutes left in the game, allowing the Timberwolves reserves to eat into the lead. The Nuggets were up 34 when Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Co. went to the bench.
The Nuggets also registered their second-largest road win in franchise history, surpassing their 58-point win over the Hornets in the 2009 playoffs.
From a historical perspective, the odds are still stacked against the Nuggets, who are 0-11 when they concede a 2-0 lead in the playoffs. That’s why after Friday’s Game 3 win, Malone cautioned his players against letting their guard down and sustaining the same energy for Sunday’s Game 4.
“We’re halfway there, we got a long way to go,” Malone told reporters.
If the Nuggets can steal Game 4, they’ll return to Denver with the series tied at two wins apiece. If that outcome came to fruition, the momentum would have decidedly shifted in their favor.