On May 11, 2024, Beijing time, in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA playoffs, the Timberwolves ushered in the G3 battle with the Nuggets at home. But the Timberwolves' defense is solid, and the offense is more blossoming, and they beat the Nuggets in G1 and G2, can the Nuggets win on the road? Nuggets starters: Murray + Pope + Porter + Gordon + Jokic, Timberwolves starters: Conley + Edwards + Madan + Towns + Gobert.
In the first quarter of the game, Pope and Murray were 4-0, Edwards and Towns hit 2 three-pointers in a row, the Timberwolves overtook 2 points, Gordon and Porter overtook 3 points, Downs and Conley overtook 1 point, Porter scored in a row, Gobert and Conley chased points, the two sides were 14-14, Murray, Jokic and Holiday scored together, the Nuggets led by 8 points, Edwards made a layup, Jokic made a layup, and the Nuggets led 28-20 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter of the game, Holiday and Murray scored three points, the Nuggets led by 14 points, Towns scored three points, Porter, Pope, Braun, and Murray scored in a row, with a difference of 20 points, Gobert, Edwards, and Conley chased the difference to 13 points, Porter, Jokic, and Reggie expanded the difference to 19 points, Reed, Conley, and Walker scored, and Murray scored 5 points in a row, with a difference of 18 points, and Towns scored three points, and the Nuggets led 56-41 at halftime.
Murray got back to form with 18 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 8-of-13 shooting in the half, Jokic had 7 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists on 3-of-8 shooting, Porter had 12 points and 3 boards on 3-of-6 shooting, Towns had 12 points and 4 boards on 4-of-6 shooting (4-of-4 from three-point range) for the Timberwolves, Edwards had 9 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists on 4-of-8 shooting, and Conley had 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists on 2-of-8 shooting.
In the third quarter of the game, Madan dunked, the difference was 13 points, Gordon three points, Pope shot, Nuggets led by 18 points, Edwards, Conley scored, Murray shot, Gordon, Porter hit 3 three-pointers, 22 points, Madan dunked, Pope made 3 free throws, 23 points, Edwards chased the difference to 18 points, Jokic and Gordon expanded the difference to 24 points, Reed three points, Jokic responded with three points, Towns made 2 free throws 2, Jokic and Reggie scored in a row, the difference was 29 points, and Lee Kyle shot, At the end of the third quarter, the Nuggets led 93-66. Jokic scored 13 points in the quarter, and Gordon hit three three-pointers in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter of the game, Walker, Lee Kyle, and Madan chased the difference to 22 points, Murray and Porter scored, Madan chased points, and the difference was 23 points, Jokic, Murray, Porter, and Pope expanded the difference to 34 points, and there were 5 minutes left in the game, the suspense was lost, and the Timberwolves withdrew their main force, and finally the Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 117-90.
Jokic had 24 points, 14 boards, 9 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks on 10-of-18 shooting, Murray had 24 points, 4 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals on 11-of-21 shooting, Porter had 21 points and 4 boards on 6-of-10 shooting (4-of-5 three-pointers), Gordon had 13 points, 2 boards and 5 assists on 5-of-7 shooting (3-of-4 from three-point range), and Pope had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Edwards had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists on 8-of-15 shooting (3-of-8 from three-point range) and five turnovers, Towns had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists on 4-of-7 shooting (4-of-5 from three-point range), Conley had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists, Madan had 10 points and three boards, and Gobert had six points and four boards.
This game is the first loss of the Timberwolves in the playoffs this year, the Nuggets won by 27 points and also set a record for the team to win points in the playoffs this year, the Nuggets outperformed the Timberwolves in offensive efficiency, rebounding, and control turnovers, and the Nuggets found a way to deal with the Timberwolves after losing G1 and G2, and the suspense of this series is back.