Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 43 factors, Naz Reid had 14 of his 16 factors within the fourth quarter and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets 106-99 in Recreation 1 of the second-round collection Saturday evening.
Edwards was unstoppable within the first half, scoring 25 factors, and Reid took over within the fourth quarter. Karl-Anthony Cities had 20 factors regardless of coping with foul hassle.
“The entire crew, we belief one another,” mentioned Edwards, who was 17 of 29 from the ground. “It doesn’t matter down the stretch who takes the shot. … I belief my teammates.”
Recreation 2 is Monday evening in Denver.
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Three days after present process knee surgical procedure, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was on the bench within the second row, subsequent to the scorer’s desk and behind assistant coach Micah Nori, who did the instructing, roaming and switching. Finch ruptured the patellar tendon in his proper knee final week when Wolves level guard Mike Conley collided with him late in Minnesota’s Spherical 1 clincher at Phoenix.
“All of the performs we scored on had been my calls and those that we didn’t had been his,” cracked Nori. “(Finch) was nice. He was like, ‘We don’t need to make it clunky,’ is the time period he used. We did a very good job of that.”
Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 32 factors, eight rebounds and 9 assists for Denver, but in addition had seven turnovers. Jamal Murray scored 17 factors after being held scoreless within the first half. Murray, the hero for the Nuggets in Spherical 1 with a pair of game-winners that allowed Denver to eradicate the Lakers in 5 video games, completed 6 of 14 from the ground.
Tied at 84, the Timberwolves went on an 18-7 run to interrupt it open. Reid had 10 straight factors for the Timberwolves at one level throughout the pivotal stretch. Reid was the beneficiary of the Nuggets ensuring Edwards was always coated.
“When (Edwards) attracts three individuals, he makes the appropriate play on a regular basis,” Reid mentioned. “I’ve seen him develop from Day 1 to the place he’s — a celebrity within the making, if he’s not now.”
Conley additionally identified the maturation of Edwards.
“I’m happy with the best way he’s accepted the type of development he wanted to should be the place he’s,” mentioned Conley, who completed with 14 factors and 10 assists. “It’s not simple for a 22-, 23-year-old to make that adjustment so rapidly.”
“Twenty-two,” Edwards playfully chimed in.
Final 12 months, the Wolves had been a troublesome first-round opponent for Denver regardless of being with out Reid (damaged wrist) and Jaden McDaniels (damaged hand) and with Karl-Anthony Cities coming off a extreme calf pressure that had price him 52 video games. This time, not a single Timberwolves participant was listed on the harm report.
Except for being more healthy, the Timberwolves had been significantly better because of the dramatic enchancment in Edwards’ sport, Denver coach Michael Malone steered.
“There’s no weaknesses in his sport,” Malone mentioned. “And it’s going to be a hell of a problem attempting to gradual him down.”
Particularly when he has a lot assist.
“Naz Reid received going. Karl-Anthony Cities received going. Mike Conley received going — the place Anthony Edwards carried the day in that first half,” Malone mentioned. “However the second half I simply felt not almost sufficient self-discipline and physicality they usually had been in a position to get no matter they wished.”