In the NBA playoffs that ended today, the Nuggets, who came to the away game with their backs to the water, finally defeated the Timberwolves 117-90, chasing the score to 1-2, and still maintaining the hope of a reversal.
In the first 2 games, the Nuggets lost at home, falling behind 0-2. In the history of the NBA, only 5 teams that fell behind 0-2 at home have completed a big reversal, and it can be said that the Nuggets are on the verge of being out.
The third away game is the Nuggets' first life-and-death battle, the loss is 0-3, the iron is out, the win is 1-2, there is still a chance.
Therefore, in today's game, the Nuggets played more resolutely, while the Timberwolves were a little hesitant, and finally the Nuggets opened the score in the second and third quarters and locked up the victory in advance.
After the away victory over the Timberwolves, the Nuggets can be regarded as finding the key to a reversal, that is, to fight offensively.
The Timberwolves have the twin towers of Gobert and Towns, as well as a group of forward players, who are known for their excellent defense, but the Timberwolves' offense is actually not bad, especially in the first round, they can average 118.3 points per game, and the firepower is very strong.
In the first 2 games, the Timberwolves won away from home, mainly because their defense played a key role, and in the 2 games, the Nuggets did not score more than 100 points, one was 99 points, and the other was 80 points. If the Nuggets scored 99 points in the first game did have the reason for the Timberwolves' defense, then in the second game Gobert was absent and the Nuggets only scored 80 points, it must be that there is something wrong with the Nuggets' mentality.
The loss in the first game still put a lot of pressure on the Nuggets. Therefore, the key to the Nuggets' comeback is to adjust their mentality and play a fluent offense again.
Thanks to the schedule, with three days off between Game 2 and Game 3, the Nuggets got plenty of rest and time to adjust. In the end, it also paid off in the third game.
As long as the Nuggets play a regular offensive rotation, then they don't have to be afraid of the Timberwolves, because in the first two games, when the Nuggets were not in good shape, the Timberwolves scored only 106 points, and the two games were 106 points, indicating that this is the upper limit of the Timberwolves' scoring in this series.
As long as the Nuggets can score more than 106 points in a single game, then they can basically win the game. In the first round of 5 games, the Nuggets' scores were 114 points, 101 points, 112 points, 108 points, and 108 points, which shows that the Nuggets' offense is not bad, of course, the Lakers' defense and the Timberwolves' defense are not the same, but from the third game, as long as the Nuggets play a normal rotation, it will be difficult for the Timberwolves to limit the Nuggets' scores to less than 106 points.
Therefore, if both sides can play a normal offensive state, then the Nuggets will actually have an advantage. The key to victory or defeat lies in the rhythm of the game.
If it's the rhythm of the offense, then the Nuggets who are adjusted in place already have an advantage; If it's the pace of defense, then the Timberwolves still have the advantage.
And the fourth game is the life-and-death battle of the series, the Nuggets won, chasing 2 games in a row away, the momentum is booming, and there is a high probability of winning the battle of Tianwang Mountain at home, reversing the situation and finally qualifying. The Nuggets lost and returned to their home court 1-3, and the breath that came up couldn't be continued, so they could only be out.
Considering the Nuggets' Porter, Gordon, and Pope are all players who have experienced winning the championship last season, they have enough self-confidence, and in the fourth game, the Nuggets' offense will still open normally, and the score will be above 106 points, which is the last chance for the Timberwolves.
If the Timberwolves want to win Game 4 and get the match point, they will have to have someone who goes above and beyond to score more than 110 points. Otherwise, the Nuggets will go 4-1 in the next five games and complete the comeback 4-3 in the end.