Anthony Edwards scored 43 factors to steer the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 106-99 house win over the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony Edwards scored 43 factors, 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 Recreation 1 of their Western Convention semifinal collection.
Naz Reid scored 14 of his 16 factors within the fourth quarter, Mike Conley had 14 factors and 10 assists and Rudy Gobert grabbed 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which pulled away to begin the postseason 5-0.
“Defending champs, exhausting to beat. Nice group. They’ve nice gamers,” Edwards mentioned of the Nuggets.
They bought the perfect participant within the league with Nikola Jokic, the perfect nearer with Jamal Murray, the perfect three-point shooter with Michael Porter Jr. So it is exhausting to beat this group.
Recreation 2 is in Denver on Monday.
Anthony Edwards places on a present and drops a profession excessive within the playoffs to choose up @Timberwolves to win Recreation 1 in Denver!
Karl-Anthony Cities: 20 PTS (8-13 FGM), 4 REB
Naz Reid: 16 PTS (14 in 4Q), 4 REB
Nikola Jokic: 32 PTS, 8 REB, 9 AST, 3 STLRecreation 2: Monday, 10 p.m./et on TNT pic.twitter.com/iirmYPip3j
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2024
Jokic had 32 factors, Porter added 20 and Murray completed with 17, all within the second half, for the Nuggets, who’re of their first playoff collection since shedding to the Golden State Warriors within the 2022 first spherical.
It was a detailed recreation early within the fourth, however the Timberwolves had been extra ready.
Conley hit his third 3-pointer of the sport to offer Minnesota an 80-77 lead, however Murray answered from deep and was fouled by Cities. He then proceeded to finish the four-point play.
Edwards, who had 25 factors within the first half, hit a layup and an 18-footer to place the Timberwolves again in entrance. Reid hit a pair of 3-pointers, transformed a layup and dunked an Edwards foul to offer Minnesota a 94-88 lead with 4:20 left.
Jokic transformed a three-point play, however the Timberwolves started to place the sport away after that. Gobert made a 13-footer and Edwards made two free throws. Porter was fouled and Edwards’ 14-foot layup made it 102-91 with 1:36 left.
Jokic’s 3-pointer reduce Denver’s deficit to 102-96 with 1:02 left, however the Timberwolves closed it out.
Minnesota jumped out to an 18-4 lead with 5:12 left within the first quarter, however the Nuggets turned the protection round. They compelled seven turnovers and held the Timberwolves to 22 factors over the ultimate 17 minutes of the primary half to steer 44-40 on the break.
Cities and Conley every had 11 factors within the third quarter to assist in giving Minnesota a 73-71 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“Began 18-4 so we bought out early, fought like hell to get a lead at halftime, then we did not play any protection within the third,” Denver coach Michael Malone mentioned.
“You possibly can’t simply commerce baskets with that group.
