On May 5, 2024, Beijing time, the first game of the second round of the NBA playoffs between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves was played at the Nuggets' home court. In the first round of the playoffs last season, the Timberwolves, who were absent from many main players, were swept by the Nuggets 4-1 gentlemen. This year's full lineup of the Timberwolves is fearless in the face of the defending champions, not only limiting the core of Yomu on the defensive end, but Huazi is a superstar on the offensive end, scoring 43 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, leading the Timberwolves to win a big win on the road.
Injuries and illnesses
Both sides have a full lineup
The starter
Timberwolves starters: Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns, Gobert
Nuggets starters: Porter Jr., Gordon, Jokic, Pope, Murray
Game recap
At the beginning of the first quarter, the Timberwolves showed a tough offensive and defensive attitude, preventing the Nuggets from shooting 1 of 8 in the opening game, and Edwards scored 12 points on 5 of 6 shots, and the visitors led the home team 18-4. After the timeout, Mr. Yoo finally found his offensive touch, Porter also hit consecutive jumpers, and the Nuggets came back with an 11-0 run to reduce the difference of only three points. At the end of the quarter, the bench wonder Reggie Jackson was even more sudden, scoring five points in a row and sending a 10-5 attack wave, and at the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets led the Timberwolves 25-23.
Coming back in the second quarter, the two sides started the game one after another, Towns took the lead to break the deadlock, and the Nuggets Porter Jr. continued to hit a three-point shot, and the teacher scored two more points, and the home team took a five-point lead. After the pause, it was Huazi's personal performance, hitting consecutive difficult two-point shots, quickly approaching the score, and the Nuggets were constantly looking for open opportunities outside the three-point line, and Pope hit a three-point shot, and the difference came to 6 points. At the moment of crisis, it was Huazi who scored 5 points in a row, and Mr. Yue responded, and the halftime battle ended, and the Nuggets 44-40 Timberwolves.
Timberwolves player Anthony Edwards finished with 25 points, four rebounds and one block on 10-of-17 shooting in the first half.
Jokic didn't feel good, shooting only 5 of 14, 1 of 5 three-pointers, 15 points, 4 boards, 5 assists and 1 steal. Murray scored zero on 0-of-5 shooting.
Yibian fought again, the Wolves were not alone, Don Conley was in full swing, shooting 9 of 9 from the double, 3 from 3 to three-point shots, and scoring 22 points together, helping the Timberwolves score 33 points in a single quarter and beat the Nuggets by 6 points. At the end of the third quarter, the Timberwolves led the Nuggets by two points at 73-71.
In the final quarter, the Timberwolves Reid finally found his form and scored consecutive points, while Murray also staged various difficult performances, and gave Towns his fifth foul with an outside 3+1. However, Huazi Jordan possessed the body, and faced Gordon's continuous crotch dribble and difficult backward hits, and the visitors maintained a 3-point lead.
After the timeout, Reed first hit a three-pointer on the board, and then pressed the teacher to make up for the score, and he scored 10 points on four consecutive shots, and the lead of the visiting team came to six points. At the critical moment, Huazi controlled the game and scored 8 points in a row to help the Timberwolves lead by double digits, although the Nuggets relied on the three points of Mr. Yoo and Porter to barely chase 6 points, but it was too late. At the end of the game, the Timberwolves won 106-99 on the road, and the series was 1-0.
Highlights of the game
1. Contemporary Jordan, the MVP of this game is Timberwolves big man Edwards, he played 42 minutes, 17 of 29 shots, 3 of 7 three-point shots, 6 of 6 free throws, and scored 43 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. At the critical moment, all kinds of back-to-back singles have to remind you of the man called God.
2.X factor, the important winner of this game has to mention the Timberwolves substitute Naz Reid, the best sixth man in the regular season, although the opening mistakes are frequent, but the final quarter proved why he is the strongest man on the bench. In the final quarter, he shot 7 of 11 in a single quarter, scored 14 points alone, and still grabbed a rebound in the face of Mr. Yoo.
3. Foul trouble, Mr. Tang only played 29 minutes today due to foul trouble, but he was outstandingly efficient, shooting 8 of 13 from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range, scoring 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and led the team to set off a return frenzy at the beginning of the second half.
4. There is an old man in the family, and the veteran Conley is not old today, playing 31 minutes in the game, shooting 5 of 8, 3 of 4 three-point shots, and scoring 14 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists.
5. The performance is average, Mr. Yoo feels mediocre today, only 11 of 25 shots, only 2 of 9 three-point shots, 8 of 8 free throws, and a quasi-triple-double of 32 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists
6. If there were two people in the first half, Murray, who scored zero points on 0 of 5 shots in the first half, scored 17 points on 6 of 9 shots in the second half, but he had no choice but to be possessed by the gods today.
7. Unaffected by the off-court, Porter Jr. shot 6 of 13 today, 4 of 7 three-point shots, and scored 20 points and 6 boards.