Ayo Dosunmu makes Timberwolves history with commanding Game 4 performance vs. Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-96 in Game 4 on Saturday night at Target Center, taking a 3-1 series lead behind a historic performance from guard Ayo Dosunmu.

Minnesota’s rotation was heavily impacted early, as Donte DiVincenzo exited in the first quarter with a lower leg injury that was later confirmed as a torn Achilles, leaving him in a wheelchair. Anthony Edwards also left in the second quarter after landing awkwardly on his left knee, suffering a hyperextension. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game, with his status remaining uncertain.

Answering the challenge created by those losses, Dosunmu produced a career performance off the bench, scoring 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range and 12-of-12 from the free-throw line in 42 minutes. He followed a 25-point outing in Game 3 with another breakout display.

The 26-year-old’s 43 points were the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years, since Fred Brown’s 45-point game in 1976. It also ranked as the second-most points off the bench in playoff history. Moreover, he became the first player in NBA history to record 40+ points, at least 75% shooting from the field, 5+ made threes without a miss, and 10+ made free throws without a miss in a single game.

The Timberwolves also received crucial contributions from Naz Reid with 17 points, Bones Hyland with 8, and Mike Conley, who added 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals, including a three-pointer. Denver led by 7 in the third quarter, but Minnesota responded with a 21-6 run to take control, highlighted by breakaway layups from Hyland and Dosunmu off turnovers. A 9-0 fourth-quarter run pushed the lead to 95-82 before Conley’s three extended the margin into double figures.

The Nuggets shot 6-of-27 from three, while Nikola Jokic finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists, and Jamal Murray scored 30. Both Jokic and Murray shot 6-of-24 in the second half.

Late-game tension resulted in Jokic and Julius Randle being ejected following a confrontation with Jaden McDaniels after the forward scored a layup with 2.1 seconds remaining.

The Timberwolves can now close the series out in Game 5 on Monday in Denver.

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