Timberwolves Edwards Leads Charge to Game 7 Against Nuggets

MINNEAPOLIS (SG) — Anthony Edwards scored 27 points, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a dominant 115-70 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. This win forces a Game 7 in their intense playoff series.
That proved a best decision Edward join the team.

Jaden McDaniels added 21 points and played strong defense, while Mike Conley scored 13 points in his return from injury. Minnesota’s big men, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid, combined for 38 rebounds, helping to limit NBA MVP Nikola Jokic to 22 points.

The Serie deciding Game 7 will be in Denver on Sunday night.

Jamal Murray struggled for the Nuggets, scoring just 10 points on 4-for-18 shooting. Denver’s bench was outscored 36-9, with seven of those points coming in the last five minutes. The Timberwolves’ reserves led a 24-0 run in the fourth quarter, extending their lead to 49 points. This followed a 20-0 run by the starters in the first quarter.

Aaron Gordon contributed 12 points and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who made only 7 of 36 three-point attempts and trailed by at least 17 points for the final 31 minutes of the game.

For the Timberwolves, getting offense from Jaden McDaniels is usually a bonus. He had only scored 35 points in the first five games combined, but this time he was everywhere. While McDaniels made 3 of 5 shots from deep and added some exciting dunks that energized the crowd.

Timberwolves Edwards, who scored 44 points in a tough Game 4 loss, looked determined not to let the series slip away. He scored nine points during the 20-0 run and finished the first half with 19 points on just nine shots.

In the third quarter, Edwards made a big play by turning a steal into a fast break. He used two crossover dribbles to get past Michael Porter Jr. and dunk. A few minutes later, he drove past Porter again, drew a foul, and fell hard on his back. The Wolves called a timeout to give Edwards a moment to recover. When he returned to the court without missing any time, the crowd started chanting “MVP!”

As a fourth-quarter timeout signaled the start of emptying the bench. While, Timberwolves Edwards held up seven fingers to the cheering crowd, anticipating the upcoming Game 7.

The Timberwolves struggled on offense in Game 5 in Denver while Mike Conley was out with a sore calf. The 17-year veteran point guard returned and helped keep their half-court offense organized and effective.

The Wolves’ defense was strong, holding the Nuggets to just 14 points in the first quarter. This was tied for the second-lowest total in the playoffs this season, behind Miami’s 12 points in a Game 3 loss to Boston in the first round.

Jamal Murray struggled against the Timberwolves’ top-ranked defense, led by Jaden McDaniels. The defense, which had shown weaknesses in the previous three games, came alive and made it difficult for Murray to be productive.

Jamal Murray, who struggled with a 3-for-18 shooting performance in Game 2, tried various shots in this game, including leaners, fadeaways, and spot-up 3-pointers. He even air-balled a finger roll from the baseline. On the next possession, he was overpowered by Naz Reid in a mismatch, allowing Reid to score and put the Wolves up 43-24.

Just before halftime, Jaden McDaniels tipped in a missed 3-pointer by Reid, making the score 59-40. This was a sharp contrast to Game 3, where Murray hit a 55-foot shot at the halftime buzzer, completing an 8-0 run in just 20 seconds.

They’re the defending champs, so it’s going to be super tough,” Anthony Edwards said. “They’re at home, and their fans are crazy. It’s going to be super loud. But as a competitor, it’s one of the best feelings in the world. I’m super pumped for it. And I’m super happy. I’m ready to play.

The Nuggets also sound ready.

It’s all about the mindset now,” Jamal Murray said. “All those past games are behind us. But it’s just about Sunday, who wins those 48 minutes, and how we’re going to do that.