In Game 1 of their opening-round NBA playoff series, the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets had their way with the No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves. They blew them out of the gym, 109-80, in dominant fashion. Game 2 was trending in the same direction before an incredible third quarter by the Timberwolves.
“We can’t wait until we go down 20 or 15 in the first half and try to figure out how to get back into the game,” Anthony Edwards said. “If we found something tonight, we’ve got to stick with it first quarter.”
Minnesota came out of halftime looking like a different team. They won the stanza 40-23, taking the lead into the fourth quarter. Edwards was leading the charge as he shot 6-of-9 in the quarter, scoring 13 out of his team-high 41 points and handing out two assists.
The Timberwolves were trailing at halftime by 15 points, looking sluggish on both ends of the floor once again. But, they went into the final quarter with a two-point lead on the road. Alas, that lead didn’t last very long.
“We knew at some point we’d see the aggressive, attacking Timberwolves,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “In that third quarter we saw it and they played great and we didn’t defend in the third quarter, but I was proud of how we responded in that fourth quarter.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Denver Nuggets & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
Denver scored the first eight points of the quarter to get the lead back. Minnesota went back ahead of an Edwards basket with 6:55 remaining, taking a one-point lead. Michael Porter Jr. knocked down a 3-point off an assist from Jamal Murray on the ensuing possession to give the Nuggets the lead and they never relinquished it again.
Murray came up big for the Nuggets, as he essentially matched Edwards’s performance. He poured in 40 points of his own to go along with five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Murray credited the crowd for providing energy he and his teammates could thrive off of.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Denver Nuggets & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
“It’s nice,” Murray said. “It’s nice having a crowd. They got me going. That fires us up and gives us a lot of life even when we’re not playing our best.”
That crowd advantage will now be held by the Timberwolves for the next two games. Things will shift to the Target Center for Games 3 and 4, where Denver will certainly be tested. But, they will be ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
“What we have to do is not be satisfied,” Malone said. “If you’re going to be a great team, you’ve got to be selfish. Be selfish … man. Let’s go up and get Game 3. Let’s not be complacent.
“That was my biggest concern coming into tonight and it will be an even bigger concern going into Game 3. We know it’s going to be a crazy environment there. Their fans have been asking for Denver. Well, here we come.”
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