Jokic's triple-double leads Nuggets past Timberwolves for seventh straight win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and three other players had 23 points to lead the Denver Nuggets to their seventh straight victory on Saturday night, 123-112 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Tim Hardaway Jr., Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray had 23 points apiece, while Gordon also had 10 rebounds and Murray dished out 12 assists.

Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards scored 26 points each to lead the Timberwolves, whose four-game winning streak was snapped.

Minnesota led 60-55 at halftime, but the Nuggets outscored the Timberwolves in the third and fourth quarters to pull away.

A glitch in the NBA’s courtside statistics system froze the stat-keeping program late in the third quarter at Target Center. After the game, a Timberwolves employee told The Associated Press the system crashed when statisticians tried to input a double-foul called with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter.

The final statistics were made available several hours after the conclusion of the game.

The Nuggets were missing both of their starting forwards, Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Cam Johnson (right biceps strain), who were both injured during Denver's win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Braun is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks.

The Northwest Division rivals have met in the playoffs twice in the last three years. The Timberwolves swept the regular-season series last year, but Denver has won both meetings this season. The teams last played in Minneapolis in October. Edwards and Jaylen Clark were out with injuries, and the Nuggets overcame an eight-point halftime deficit with a 45-point third quarter en route to a 127-114 win.

Nuggets: Host Chicago on Monday.

Timberwolves: Host Dallas on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots as Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) works toward the basket as Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dribbles down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) goes up for a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

PHOENIX (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge still hopes to play October baseball this season. It remains to be seen if his body will allow that to happen.

The three-time AL MVP said on Saturday that he has a strained soleus muscle, which is in a lower part of the calf and affects his ability to run. Judge added that he's continuing to throw and will go through as many workouts as possible so he's ready to contribute if he can return.

“I'd like to be back by the postseason,” the eight-time All-Star said Saturday after he was placed on the 10-day injured list, a move retroactive to Thursday. “I've got really no answers for you on any timeline or anything like that.”

Judge is eligible to be activated for the Yankees' regular-season finale on Sept. 27.

He was removed for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning Wednesday during a game at Minnesota because of the discomfort in his leg. Judge said at the time it was a precautionary move, but manager Aaron Boone said symptoms persisted and an MRI showed the strain.

Judge was 4 for 23 with 13 strikeouts and one extra-base hit in seven games since returning last week from a broken rib, which kept him out of the lineup for more than three months. He's played just 66 games this year.

“I’ve dealt with strains before and played through them, but this was kind of in a different spot where it made it a little more difficult, Judge said. ”Definitely frustrated because the ultimate goal was to come back, get a couple games in before the postseason. So it changes it a little bit, but the focus is still the same.”

New York entered Saturday with a 48-39 record in the games Judge has missed this season and a 41-25 mark in games he’s played.

“I'm hoping for the best, but just depends on how the healing goes and what he's able to do as the weeks unfold,” Boone said. “I'm not going to speculate on that. We'll see.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge walks back to the dugout after the bottom of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after striking out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Injured New York Yankees' Aaron Judge pauses on the field after a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)