Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves center Luka Garza (55) defends in the second half during Game 3 of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs. Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Nuggets make incredible NBA history with Game 3 win

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 5/11/24

On Friday, the Nuggets became the first team in NBA playoff history to win a Game 3 by a margin of 27 points after dropping the first two games at home.

Denver head coach Michael Malone's team broke the previous record set by the Rockets who dropped two home games to the SuperSonics in the 1984 West semis before winning Game 3 by a 102-84 margin.

I like this one... Largest margin of victory in NBA HISTORY after going down 0-2 in a series... Your Denver Nuggets at +27. Next highest? 1987 Rockets at 18 pic.twitter.com/8Y4Fh9wVYD
— Engineering Earth (@EnviroEngine) May 11, 2024

Denver's victory margin of 27 points could have been bigger if Malone hadn't pulled his starters with a little over five minutes left in the game, allowing the Timberwolves reserves to eat into the lead. The Nuggets were up 34 when Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Co. went to the bench.

The Nuggets also registered their second-largest road win in franchise history, surpassing their 58-point win over the Hornets in the 2009 playoffs.

Tonight was the Nuggets 2nd-largest road playoff win in franchise history (27 points).

Their record is a 58-point win (121-63) vs the Hornets in Game 4 of the 2009 1st Round. pic.twitter.com/3HhNJPiLR1
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 11, 2024

From a historical perspective, the odds are still stacked against the Nuggets, who are 0-11 when they concede a 2-0 lead in the playoffs. That's why after Friday's Game 3 win, Malone cautioned his players against letting their guard down and sustaining the same energy for Sunday's Game 4.

"We're halfway there, we got a long way to go," Malone told reporters.

If the Nuggets can steal Game 4, they'll return to Denver with the series tied at two wins apiece. If that outcome came to fruition, the momentum would have decidedly shifted in their favor.

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