Minnesota handed Denver a crushing defeat in last season’s NBA playoffs, and they did the same again this evening. The Timberwolves brutally ended Colorado’s winning streak and, in the process, revived memories of last season’s playoff trauma by defeating Nikola Jokić and company 133-104 (40-31, 31-29, 38-31, 24-13) at their “Target Center.”
For reasons unknown, when Anthony Edwards faces off against the three-time MVP and 2023 champion, he is particularly inspired. And even more than that. This time, he finished with 34 points and nine assists. He shot 14/23 from the field, 3/8 from three-point range, and 3/4 from the free-throw line. Alongside him, Julius Randle was excellent, contributing 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The French center had often struggled in matchups with Jokić in the past, but not in this game. This time, he showed all his best qualities, particularly his defense, which is why he is considered one of the best defenders in recent years. He didn’t let the towering Sombor native do whatever he wanted and kept him somewhat under control.
We say “somewhat” because Jokić still finished the game with 20 points and 11 assists. He also had good shooting percentages, making 9/13 from the field and 2/4 from three. However, it must be noted that he wasn’t as aggressive offensively as usual. This is reflected in his three rebounds. Alongside him, Jamal Murray deserves a mention for his 25 points and five assists. Aaron Gordon and Russell Westbrook each contributed 13 points.
READ MORE:
At no point was the game in doubt, nor did it seem that the Nuggets had a chance at a sensational comeback or even a close finish. The home team came out strong and controlled the game from the start. After a relatively even first quarter, Minnesota reached a double-digit lead in the second quarter, which they never relinquished. With an 11-point lead at halftime (71-60), the situation only worsened for Michael Malone’s team after the break.
The Wolves ran faster, moved better without the ball, and took smarter shots. They also had more players in good form, as four other players joined Edwards, Randle, and Gobert in scoring double digits. When you add to this the 19 turnovers committed by the visiting team, the scoreboard result seems more than fair, and it resulted in Denver’s winning streak of four games coming to an end.
With five minutes left and a deficit of nearly 30 points, Malone pulled his key players from the game and, as they say, “threw in the towel.” This round went to Minnesota. By technical knockout.
MORE TOPICS:
AMERICA WILL RECOGNIZE ONLY MALE AND FEMALE GENDERS: Here’s the list of orders signed by Trump!
Izvor: Mozzartsport, Foto: AFP