Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray refused to allow the Nuggets to lose their third in a row, with both stars dominating halves to help the team secure a 124-109 win against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis. Murray led Denver (2-4) to its first road win of the season, tallying an impressive 36-points on 13 of 20 shooting to go along with five boards and four assists. Jokić took over in the second half and finished with his 45th career triple-double, putting up 19 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds. While the game was probably much closer than Michael Malone would have liked through the opening three quarters, the Nuggets bench also stepped up to help seal a much-needed result. Denver’s reserves outscored Minnesota’s 47-35.
"It is an amazing feeling right now, I just tried to put 100 percent on each side of the court," Campazzo said. "I've worked so hard to be here so I want to take [advantage of] any opportunity."
Campazzo didn’t play in the first quarter, but seemingly gained some confidence after hitting a three in the second quarter. The reserve guard would pick it up in the second half, hitting four more threes on six attempts. He was also a factor defensively, playing bigger than his 5-foot-11 frame and getting physical when he needed to be.
"You knew he was going to break out," Malone said. "He's played in the Olympics, World Championships and the biggest games over in the Euro League. It was great to see that." After struggling to find his shot without the ball in his hands, Campazzo showed he could make an impact off the ball in his long-range shooting. He was a significant part of the Nuggets’ bench exploding for 47 points.
"I know what he can do, so I'm not surprised," Jokić said. "We found him and he shot with confidence."
"It was good to see him finally getting into rhythm...For him to get into rhythm means a lot," Murray said before later adding. "The whole bench was up when he was hitting threes and every play he made was a huge play. He just plays so hard, you appreciate guys who bring it every night...To see him break the ice for himself and play free meant a lot, we need that moving forward. It's good to see him [reach] his potential and show what we know he can do."
JaMychal Green was another factor off the bench, adding 14 points and five boards.