Jokic still wants to be 'Nuggets forever,' but an early playoff exit leaves them searching for more

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Three years afterNikola Jokicled the Denver Nuggets to theNBAchampionship, the peak looked awfully distant for the team from the Mile High City and the three-time MVP award winner.

Nuggets Timberwolves Basketball

Ousted in six games by the Minnesota Timberwolves in theirfirst-round series, the Nuggets trudged into the offseason with plenty of questions to answer about their ability to remain a true title contender in the stacked Western Conference. For the first time in four years, the Nuggets failed to make it to May.

“We just lost in the first round, so I think we are far away,” said Jokic, who had 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the 110-98 loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday night.

Four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert deftly neutralized Jokic during the series, even dominating him at times with his long arms, relentless effort and superb positioning.

Jokic found some rhythm and spark in the last two games, but his sidekick Jamal Murray had a rough series. The first-time All-Star, who played in 75 games during the regular season for his most in eight years, was similarly smothered by Timberwolves villain Jaden McDaniels. Murray went just 4 for 17 from the floor and with a game-worst minus-18 rating.

“When I get the looks that I need, they don’t go down,” Murray said. “So that’s the frustrating part, not showing up when my team needed me the most tonight. I feel like if I would’ve played a little bit better we would’ve had that game.”

Missing forwards Aaron Gordon to a calf injury for three of the six games and Peyton Watson for the whole series to a hamstring strain sure didn't help. Cameron Johnson made a late push from the 3-point line, pitching in 27 points in Game 5, but there wasn't enough production beyond Jokic and Murray in this series for the Nuggets to advance, even against a Timberwolves team that was severelyshort-handedin the backcourt. And their pick-and-roll synergy was largely absent too.

“They were missing a bunch of guys tonight, and they still won. So did we need them? Definitely, but if they are not here, we cannot think, ‘If, if, if, if,’” Jokic said.

After leading the league in offensive rating during the regular season and being held under 100 points only twice, the Nuggets failed to hit triple digits against the feisty Timberwolves three times in the series.

“It’s a miss-or-make league. We couldn’t make any shots," Jokic said. “I’m confident in my and Jamal's two-man game.”

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Jokic, who will enter his 12th season in the league in 2026-27, can sign another maximum contract extension this summer. He didn't hesitate when asked about his interest in reupping his commitment.

“I still want to be Nuggets forever,” he said.

Coach David Adelman doesn't have the same security, after finishing his first full year on the job. Might changes be in the works in Denver?

“That’s not my decision,” Jokic said. "Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all be fired.”

But in all seriousness, the Joker doubled down on his support of Adelman.

“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound. It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It was all us,” Jokic said.

The Nuggets closed the regular season on a 12-game winning streak.

“Very disappointing end to the season. I'm the head coach. I take responsibility for things that didn't go well here,” Adelman said.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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May 01, 2026

Jokic still wants to be 'Nuggets forever,' but an early playoff exit leaves them searching for more

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Three years afterNikola Jokicled the Denver Nuggets to theNBAchampionship, the peak looked awfully distant for the t...

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Renters’ Rights Act comes into force ending no fault evictions for 11 million private tenants

Eleven million private tenants in England willgain stronger rights and protectionsfrom this Friday, transforming their experiences in the sector.

The newRenters’ Rights Actabolishes Section 21 'no-fault' evictions, ensuring landlords must now provide a valid justification for removal.

Landlordsmust also reasonably consider renters’ requests to live with a pet. Tenancies will shift from fixed contracts to rolling month-to-month or week-to-week agreements, providing greater flexibility. Tenants can end these with two months’ notice.

There are alsofairer rent rules, with landlords only able to raise rents once a year and tenants able to challenge unfair hikes.

Potential bidding wars should be avoided as landlords must stick to no more than the advertised rent price.

Landlords can now only ask for up to one month’s rent upfront and they cannot refuse tenants because they receive benefits or have children.

Prime Minister SirKeir Starmersaid: “For too long, families have lived with the constant fear of eviction, while young people have been outbid for the homes they need to start their lives.

“Today we are putting that right. We promised to fix a broken rental system and we’re delivering.

“This historic action will make renting fairer, safer and more secure for millions, so people can settle, put down roots and build their lives.”

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Renters have been living at the mercy of rogue landlords and in fear of losing their home for too long.

“We are putting a stop to this with historic changes that give renters the security they deserve – marking the beginning of a new era for private renters.”

The new rules have heftier penalties of up to £40,000 if they are broken.

Generation Rent chief executive Ben Twomey said: “Today marks a new era for private renters across England. This new law is a vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords and should be celebrated.

“Our homes are the foundations of our lives, but for decades Section 21 evictions forced renters to live in fear of being turfed out of our homes, preventing us from raising valid concerns with our landlords. At last, this outdated and unfair law has been sent packing.

“If this law is to reach into people’s homes and improve their lives, it’s vital councils across the country are using all their powers to make sure landlords stick to the new rules. Meanwhile I encourage every renter to take the time to understand their new rights and how to enforce them.”

Clara Collingwood, director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “As well as abolishing Section 21, the Renters’ Rights Act will make it easier for tenants to have pets in their home, limit rent upfront to one month, end exploitative practices like bidding wars, and make it easier to hold landlords to account over repairs. These are the biggest changes to private renting in a generation.”

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Crisis chief executive Matt Downie said: ”At last, private renters can feel safe and secure in their homes without the threat of an unnecessary eviction forcing them into homelessness.”

Private landlord repossession claims using the Section 21 process that are going through the courts will still be able to proceed.

Dogs Trust pet friendly housing lead Jennifer Leonard said: “Across the UK, one in seven requests we receive from people wishing to hand over care of their dog is due to a housing-related issue.

“Now, we hope that fewer renters will face the heart-breaking choice between finding a safe place to live and keeping their beloved pet.”

Sarah Elliott, chief executive of Shelter, said the Act “will bring in other positive changes, including limiting ludicrous upfront costs for rent in advance and banning discriminatory ‘no child’ and ‘no benefits’ policies”.

The housing charity said it estimated that more than 2,000 households a month “will now be protected from the threat of homelessness directly caused by no fault evictions”.

Government data published on Thursday showed that 4,960 households in England at the end of December were assessed by their local authority as needing help to prevent them becoming homelessness after being served a section 21 notice.

Amira Campbell, National Union of Students president, said: “I hope the momentum to give renters our rights only continues. Students are an important part of any university town or city and we need a warm, decent place to live.”

A survey of more than 1,000 renters in March for Rightmove found nearly three-quarters (73%) were aware that rental laws were set to change, but more than a third (37%) were not confident they fully understood their rights.

The research indicated uncertainty was particularly pronounced among renters aged 18 to 34.

More than a third (35%) of renters in this age group said they were not confident in their understanding of their rights, while some described their experience of renting as uncertain (38%) or stressful (31%).

The research was taken from Rightmove’s consumer research panel of over 18,000 home movers.

Rightmove said the average rental home receives eight inquiries, down from 11 a year ago and 29 at the peak of competition in 2022, indicating an easing in tenant competition.

Societal changes also mean many people are renting into later life.

Rebecca Johnson, group sales and marketing director at McCarthy & Stone, said: “Renting has long been seen as something temporary – or something that’s not right for later life – but that perception is starting to change.”

Joanna Elson, chief executive at Independent Age, said: “Many of the tenants in later life that we speak to say that, until now, they lived in a constant state of anxiety, worried about being evicted for no reason and the consequences of asking their landlord for repairs.

“Although the job of making renting safe, secure and affordable for everyone is not yet done, today we are a significant step closer.”

byAdministrator

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May 01, 2026

Renters’ Rights Act comes into force ending no fault evictions for 11 million private tenants

Eleven million private tenants in England willgain stronger rights and protectionsfrom this Friday, transforming their experiences in t...

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Short-handed Wolves pull away from Nuggets, seal series in Game 6

Elevated into the starting lineup of a heavily depleted backcourt, Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a career-playoff-high 24 points to help the Minnesota Timberwolves close out the Denver Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6 of a first-round playoff series on Thursday in Minneapolis.

The sixth-seeded Timberwolves advance to face the second-seeded Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday in San Antonio.

Minnesota was already down All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards (knee) and his starting perimeter counterpart, Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), when Ayo Dosunmu was announced as a scratch shortly before tipoff of Game 6. Dosunmu, a hero in Game 4 with 43 points, was held out on Thursday due to a calf injury.

Veteran Kyle Anderson was also crossed off the Minnesota lineup on Thursday because of an illness, contributing to a rash of absences that necessitated Shannon -- who did not play in the first three games of the series -- entering the starting lineup.

He stepped up, capping his 9-of-20 performance shooting from the field with a crucial three-point play that ignited a game-ending 10-1 run for the Timberwolves.

With Minnesota nursing a 100-97 lead, Shannon penetrated into the lane and scored against contact from Jamal Murray with a scooping layup. He made the subsequent free throw with 1:43 to go.

After Cameron Johnson split a pair of free throws on the other end, Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels -- who scored a game-high 32 points -- connected on a pull-up mid-range jumper.

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McDaniels' shot served as a backbreaker for third-seeded Denver, with the crowd erupting as the Timberwolves opened up an eight-point lead with 1:07 left. The bucket put an exclamation mark on a dominant final five minutes in which the Timberwolves did not allow the Nuggets a made field goal.

"Jaden McDaniels, he talked all series and he backed it up all series," Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said. "That's called legitimate tough. He not only led us tonight [in] scoring, but [Jamal] Murray was 4-for-17 tonight [and] I don't think he scored on Jaden the whole game. That's what you want."

Denver trailed much of the way and never led in the second half but remained within a single-digit-point margin until the final minute. Nikola Jokic helped keep the Nuggets within striking distance, finishing with team highs in points (28), assists (10) and rebounds (nine).

Johnson added 27 points and shot 5 of 10 from 3-point range, but the Nuggets struggled to find consistent offense elsewhere. Murray was limited to 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting from the floor.

"They were just better in every aspect," Jokic said.

The same aggressive Minnesota defense that kept Murray in check frustrated Jokic in the second half, boiling over when he got into a shoving match with Timberwolves reserve guard Jaylen Clark early in the fourth quarter. Naz Reid pushed Jokic from behind, resulting in all three players receiving technical fouls.

Jokic remained in the lineup despite a chorus of "kick him out" chants from the home crowd.

--Field Level Media

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May 01, 2026

Short-handed Wolves pull away from Nuggets, seal series in Game 6

Elevated into the starting lineup of a heavily depleted backcourt, Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a career-playoff-high 24 points to help ...

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The Latest: King Charles visits Washington with hopes of restoring the US-UK relationship

WASHINGTON (AP) —King Charles IIIwill embrace some of Washington’s most formal ceremonial trappings as hetries to emphasize a bondbetween the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.

US Britain Royal Visit Trump

The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-UK relations. U.S. President Donald Trump’s up-and-down relationship with Prime MinisterKeir Starmerhas taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran.

The king, accompanied byQueen Camilla, will begin his day with a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump around 10:35 a.m. ET. The King is then scheduled to address theU.S. Congressat 3 p.m. ET, the body’s first address from a British monarch sinceQueen Elizabeth II’s in 1991. The day will end with an expectedly buzzy dinner at the White House.

Here's the latest:

Charles has faced some calls to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein

Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims ofJeffrey Epsteinwhile he is in the U.S. There’s no indication that he will do so, even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, the former Prince Andrew, who wasarrested in Februaryover misconduct allegations, which the latter has denied.

U.S. Rep.Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.

Trump has maintained warm relations with the King

The president has spoken in glowing terms about Charles, repeatedly referring to the monarch as his “friend” and a “great guy.”

He also continues to mention his “amazing” trip to the U.K. in September with Melania Trump for anunprecedented second state visit. Starmer hand-delivered the invitation from the king in the Oval Office five weeks after Trump returned to office, in a very public attempt to woo the Republican president.

The U.K. royal family laid on pomp and pageantry for the Trumps, with scarlet-clad guardsmen, brass bands and a sumptuous banquet at Windsor Castle.

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“President Trump has always had great respect for King Charles, and their relationship was further strengthened by the president’s historic visit to the United Kingdom last year,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Associated Press.

The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations

Trump’s up-and-down relationship with Prime MinisterKeir Starmerhas taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump lamented that Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, was “no Churchill.”

Trump has also imposed tariffs on the U.K. and warned of additional levies despite aSupreme Court rulingearlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Still, Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the U.K. if it doesn’t scrap a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.

Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts toannex Greenlandand threats to walk away fromNATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and tauntedCanada, a member of the British Commonwealth.

A rare royal address to Congress

King Charles III will become the first British monarch to address theU.S. Congresssince his mother,Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991. Her speech highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday.

Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel and Winston Churchill. It will likely mark the most extensive public remarks Charles will deliver during a four-day visit to the U.S. that’s intended to celebrate the country’s250th anniversaryof independence from Britain.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla head to the White House

The king, accompanied byQueen Camilla, will begin his day with a meeting at the White House with Trump. The Oval Office encounter offers the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign leaders that have become routine during Trump’s second term.

Given the expressly apolitical nature of the British monarch and Trump’s fondness for the royal family, the likelihood of an awkward meeting may be reduced.

Trump will host Charles on Tuesday evening for a state banquet at the White House.

byAdministrator

in

May 01, 2026

The Latest: King Charles visits Washington with hopes of restoring the US-UK relationship

WASHINGTON (AP) —King Charles IIIwill embrace some of Washington’s most formal ceremonial trappings as hetries to emphasize a bondbetwe...

Read More