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Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun threw down a spectacular poster dunk over a four-time Defensive Player of the Year but felt regrets about the play as he left the Target Center on Friday night.
Braun blamed himself for a celebration that caused a confrontation with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, saying the double technical fouls halted Denver’s momentum.
“I got to be more responsible,” Braun said after the Timberwolves rallied from a 10-point deficit to hand the Nuggets a 119-116 loss. “It’s two points. Obviously, those are the plays you want to make and those are the momentum plays I want to make, but getting a tech throws the momentum their way, so I got to do a better job of controlling myself.”
Braun drove down the middle of the lane, launched just inside the dotted line and slammed the ball in with two hands despite Gobert contesting it with 5:14 remaining.
After he landed, Braun flexed his shoulders and took two big strides into Gobert’s chest. Gobert responded by putting his left arm on Braun’s neck and shoving him away. Players and staffers from both teams, as well as the officials, prevented the confrontation from escalating.
“He made a great play and there’s always a little adrenaline,” Gobert said. “He kind of stepped towards my space and nothing really happened. But’s it’s part of the game. … I have nothing against Braun. I actually think he’s a very good player. He’s a good kid. But it’s a big win for us. And the way we overcame adversity tonight as a group is the type of win that I think makes you grow as a team.”
Denver was on an 11-0 run to seemingly seize control of the game after Braun’s dunk, which extended the Nuggets’ lead to eight points. Denver led by 10 after Aaron Gordon‘s fadeaway jumper with 3:36 remaining. But the Nuggets didn’t make a field goal the rest of the game as the Timberwolves rallied while Denver point guard Jamal Murray (concussion protocol) was in the locker room.
“This defeat is on me,” Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said after the three-time MVP finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 13 assists, noting he missed both of his shots from the floor and committed a pair of turnover in the final three minutes. “I need to do a better job of getting guys involved. It was really bad for me.”
Timberwolves wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two 3-pointers to key Minnesota’s comeback, hitting good looks that Braun said occurred because of his defensive miscues.
“I’ve got to be better,” said Braun, who finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds.
Gobert had a pair of defensive stops, a rebound and made a pair of free throws in the final 13 seconds to seal the victory. He forced Jokic to take a tightly contested step-back 3 in the final seconds that failed to draw iron. On the Nuggets’ previous possession, Gobert forced Braun to miss a tough floater.
“We’re never going to give up, and that’s the championship mindset that we need to have,” said Gobert, who had 17 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. “All the best teams in this league, they’re not always perfect, but they don’t doubt. They never doubt. They know how to regroup, know how to refocus and be who they are when it matters the most.”
Friday night’s game was a nationally televised matchup between rivals that have eliminated each other in the Western Conference playoffs the past two seasons.
Braun, who dunked on Gobert twice during a meeting late in the last regular season, said his celebration after Friday’s highlight finish could be perceived as a sign of respect.
“The reason I get so hyped up after that is that’s the best rim protector in the NBA,” Braun said. “So making a play on the best rim protector in the NBA, it doesn’t happen to him often. He had a really good play down the stretch on me where I didn’t go strong enough. That’s what he does. He’s really good at that. That’s why he is who he is and that’s why he’s Defensive Player of the Year.
“I got him once, and he got me, too, so it’s just good, competitive juice. That’s what he’s supposed to do. That’s what I’m supposed to do, and they got the win. So obviously Rudy gets the win today.”