Anthony Edwards’s 43 issues led Minnesota Timberwolves’ 106-99 house win over Denver Nuggets.
Anthony Edwards scored 43 issues, Karl-Anthony Cities completed with 20 and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves took home-court benefit from Denver with a 106-99 win over the Nuggets in Sport 1 of a Western Convention semifinal layout.
Naz Reid scored 14 of his 16 issues within the fourth quarter, Mike Conley had 14 issues and 10 assists and Rudy Gobert grabbed 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which pulled away to start out the postseason 5-0.
“They are defending champs, they’re a hard team to beat. Great team. They got great players,” Edwards stated of the Nuggets.
“They got the best player in the league with Nikola Jokic, they got the best closer with Jamal Murray, the best 3-point shooter with Michael Porter Jr So, it is tough to beat this team.”
Sport 2 is in Denver on Monday.
Anthony Edwards places on a display and drops a playoff career-high to boost the @Timberwolves to the Sport 1 win in Denver!
Karl-Anthony Cities: 20 PTS (8-13 FGM), 4 REBNaz Reid: 16 PTS (14 in 4Q), 4 REBNikola Jokic: 32 PTS, 8 REB, 9 AST, 3 STL
Sport 2: Monday, 10pm/et on TNT %.twitter.com/iirmYPip3j
— NBA (@NBA) Would possibly 5, 2024
Jokic had 32 issues, Porter added 20 and Murray completed with 17, all in the second one part, for the Nuggets, who’re trailing in a playoff layout for the primary day since dropping to the Yellowish Condition Warriors within the first spherical in 2022.
It used to be a good sport early within the fourth, however the Timberwolves have been extra eager ailing the stretch.
Conley crash his 3rd 3-pointer of the sport to present Minnesota an 80-77 govern, however Murray spoke back from deep and used to be fouled through Cities. He nearest proceeded to finish the four-point play games.
Edwards, who had 25 issues within the first part, crash a riding layup via site visitors and a pullup 18-footer to position the Timberwolves again in entrance. Reid crash a couple of 3-pointers, transformed a layup and dunked an Edwards leave out to present Minnesota a 94-88 govern with 4:20 left.
Jokic transformed a three-point play games, however the Timberwolves nearest began to position the sport away. Gobert made a layup and banked in a 13-footer and Edwards sank two detached throws. Porter dedicated an offensive foul, and Edwards’ 14-foot fadeaway made it 102-91 with 1:36 left.
Jokic’s 3-pointer scale down Denver’s rarity to 102-96 with 1:02 to journey, however the Timberwolves closed it out.
Minnesota jumped out to an 18-4 govern with 5:12 left within the first quarter, however the Nuggets became up the defence. They pressured seven giveover and held the Timberwolves to 22 issues within the ultimate 17 mins of the primary part to govern 44-40 at break.
Cities and Conley had 11 issues apiece within the 3rd quarter to support put Minnesota forward 73-71 going into the fourth.
“An 18-4 start, so we get down early, fight like hell to take the lead at halftime, then we played no defense in the third,” Denver educator Michael Malone stated.
“You can’t just trade baskets with that team.”
