DENVER — The Minnesota Timberwolves looked dead in the water early, then stormed back from a 19-point first-quarter hole to beat the Denver Nuggets 119-114 on Monday night, squaring their Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. Anthony Edwards poured in 30 points, Julius Randle nailed clutch free throws in the closing seconds, and Donte DiVincenzo punctuated it all with a breakaway dunk that stunned the Ball Arena crowd.
Edwards finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds, Randle added 24 points and nine boards, and DiVincenzo chipped in 16 off the bench as Minnesota controlled the middle quarters to flip the game on its head. On the Denver side, Nikola Jokić posted 24 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, while Jamal Murray racked up 30 points and drilled a 51-foot three-pointer at the halftime buzzer, according to ESPN.
How It Ended
In the final half-minute, things got dicey. With 31 seconds left, Edwards turned the ball over, and Christian Braun was fouled in transition. Braun hit only one of two free throws, which left Denver clinging to a 115-114 lead with 19 seconds to go. After a Minnesota timeout, Randle calmly sank two free throws, and DiVincenzo followed with a breakaway dunk as the Wolves completed the comeback from that early 19-point deficit. It was a bruising contest, with both teams taking 30 free throws — Minnesota hit 19 and Denver 23 — in what was every bit the physical playoff slugfest it looked like on paper, per ClickOnDetroit.
Finch Calls Out Free-Throw Disparity
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch had already made waves after Game 1 by blasting the free-throw disparity, even joking before Game 2 that Minnesota might "start flopping, too." Nuggets coach David Adelman countered by noting that some of Jamal Murray’s trips to the line came on flagrant or technical fouls, adding a little extra spice to what was already a chippy series, as reported by The Washington Post.
What’s Next
The series now shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday night, with the Wolves hauling a healthy dose of momentum back to Target Center. Game 3 (and Game 4) arrive quickly, and fans can find broadcast and schedule details at ESPN.
_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}