MINNEAPOLIS >> Maybe the Timberwolves don’t meet Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s criteria for a rival, but they are one of the few teams in the NBA that has seemingly had Denver’s number lately.

The Nuggets fell behind 6-0 and never led in a 133-104 loss Saturday afternoon at Target Center, snapping a four-game win streak. Dating back to Game 6 of the second-round playoff series that Minnesota rallied to win last spring, Denver (28-17) has lost four straight to its division foe. Two matchups remain this regular season, both at Ball Arena.

“We never gave ourselves a chance in this one,” Malone said. “Disappointing day, starting with me, all the way down. One of our worst performances of the year, and they took full advantage of it.”

Anthony Edwards passed Karl-Anthony Towns as the Timberwolves’ franchise leader in 3-pointers at 23 years old during a 34-point day. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic’s streak of five consecutive triple-doubles by the end of the third quarter ended in one of his most uneven games of the season. He finished with 20 points, 11 assists, three rebounds and seven turnovers. He was a team-worst minus-24, while Jamal Murray led the Nuggets instead with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting.

“Bad turnovers. … Uncharacteristic night,” Malone said of Jokic.

“They’re really good on defense,” Jokic said. “That’s what their character the last two or three years (has been). They’re well-coached and they know what they’re doing.”

The Nuggets struggled to respond to physicality whenever Minnesotas’s starting lineup was on the floor. Russell Westbrook tried admirably to match it as a defender, guarding Julius Randle, but the power forward overpowered him on his way to the rim a few times. Twice, Westbrook tried to take a charge against Randle to no avail. The former New York Knick struggled with his 3-ball, but he still went for 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

“They have big wings. They’ve got a big center. Big power forward,” Aaron Gordon said. “They’ve got good size and good skill, so this is a very physical team, and you’ve gotta match their physicality. Even Ant, he’s a big two-guard. So just to have a chance with that team, you’ve gotta match their physicality first.”

The center, Rudy Gobert, is never an opponent’s center of attention when game-planning for Minnesota’s offense — as demonstrated by an air-balled floater Saturday. But even he was able to capitalize on Denver’s defensive shortcomings. He scored as a roller and dished a no-look pass during a Jokician first quarter: nine points, four assists and four boards as the Wolves took a 40-31 lead into Jokic’s rest. He also finished an eventual double-double with four steals and no turnovers.