Tuesday at Denver, the Timberwolves and Nuggets met for the second time in three days, but it was like the Wolves were playing a different team.
If Sunday's game was essentially a case of load management, this was a better test for the Timberwolves.
Remember: Citing load management, the Nuggets left four starters at home for Sunday's game. Playing against a roster that didn't include Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon, the Wolves won by 30.
Tuesday the Wolves played the "A'' team, the team that has built the best record in the Western Conference. This time: Denver, with only Murray missing, ran the Wolves out of the gym 146-112.
With Karl-Anthony Towns watching from the bench for the first time on the road since he injured his calf, the Nuggets were up 30 before the first quarter ended.
The Nuggets scored 49 first-quarter points. They scored 79 first-half points, both highs by a Minnesota opponent this season, as was their final total. Jokic had his 19th triple-double of the season before the first-half horn sounded.
And it never got any better in the Wolves' worst loss of the season.
With 8:30 left in the third quarter and the Wolves down 34, and with another game scheduled in Utah Wednesday, Minnesota coach Chris Finch started emptying the bench. Seconds later D'Angelo Russell picked up two technical, ending his evening.
That makes 20-plus minutes of trash time.
Denver coach Michael Malone left his starters in for a little while longer.
By the time they left Jokic had 20 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. Michael Porter, Jr. had 30 points on 11-for-15 shooting and Gordon had 24 points and eight rebounds on 8-for-11 shooting.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota starters with 19 points. Naz Reid had 11, Russell 9. Rudy Gobert was held scoreless in 19 minutes. Luka Garza (19), Josh Minott (11) and Matt Ryan (11) were in double figures off the bench.
Here are some other notable stats: Denver's 62.4-percent shooting was a high for a Minnesota opponent this season and their 44 assists is a league high this season.
The Nuggets scored a half's worth of scoring into the first quarter.
With 7:30 left in the first Edwards hit a basket to put the Wolves up 13-12. Over the rest of the quarter the Nuggets out-scored the Wolves 37-6
Thirty-seven to six.
Porter, Jr. had 19 first-quarter points, Jokic had nine and six assists, Gordon had six. The Nuggets shot 79.2 percent in the first, the Wolves 27.3 percent (6-for-22) and the Nuggets turned six Wolves turnovers into nine points. The Nuggets' 49 points were the most by a Wolves opponent in a quarter this season.
The Wolves had a quick start to the second quarter. Reid's layup had the Wolves within 21 midway through the quarter after a 17-8 Wolves start.
But it didn't last.
Gordon had another 12 second-quarter points and Jokic had 10 points, six boards and five rebounds as the Nuggets responded by out-scored the Wolves 22-12 over the rest of the half to push their lead to 31 into half.
