MINNEAPOLIS – Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun threw down a spectacular poster dunk over a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, but regretted the play as he left the Target Center on Friday night.

Braun blamed himself for a celebration that set up a confrontation with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, saying the double technical fouls halted Denver’s momentum.

“I have 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 when you get a tech, the momentum is thrown in their direction, so I have to control myself better.”

Braun drove down the middle of the lane, launched just inside the dotted line and knocked the ball home with two hands, despite Gobert contesting it with 5:14 left.

After landing, Braun tensed his shoulders and took two big steps into Gobert’s chest. Gobert responded by putting his left arm on Braun’s neck and pushing him away. Players and staff members from both teams, as well as the referees, prevented the confrontation from escalating.

“He played great and there’s always a little bit of adrenaline,” Gobert said. “He kind of stepped towards my space and nothing really happened. But 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 as a group tonight is the kind of win that I think makes you grow as a team.”

Denver was on an 11-0 run and seemingly seized control of the game after Braun’s dunk, extending the Nuggets’ lead to eight points. Denver led by 10 after Aaron Gordon’s fadeaway jumper with 3:36 left. 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 loss is on me,” Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said after the three-time MVP finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 13 assists. He noted that he missed both of his shots from the floor and committed a pair of turnovers in the final three. minutes. “I have to do my best to get guys involved. It was really bad for me.”

Timberwolves wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two 3-pointers and was key to Minnesota’s comeback, making a good impression that Braun said came from his defensive mistakes.

“I have 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, but failed to draw iron. On the Nuggets’ earlier possession, Gobert forced Braun to miss a cool floater.

“We’re never going to give up, and that’s the championship mentality we have to have,” said Gobert, who had 17 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. “The best teams in this league aren’t always perfect, but they don’t waver. They never waver. They know how to regroup, know how to refocus and be who they are when it matters most.”

Friday night’s game was a nationally televised matchup between rivals who have eliminated each other in the Western Conference playoffs the past two seasons.

Braun, who came up against Gobert twice during a meet late in the last regular season, said his celebration after Friday’s highlight finish could be seen as a sign of respect.

“The reason I get so excited after that is because this is the best rim protector in the NBA,” Braun said. “So playing a game with the best rim protector in the NBA doesn’t happen very often for him. He made a really good play on me where I wasn’t going strong enough. That’s what he does. He’s really that’s what he’s good at. That’s why he’s who he is and that’s why he’s Defensive Player of the Year.

“I’ve had him once, and he’s had 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 Rudy obviously gets the victory today.”