Nuggets vs Timberwolves
After losing two home games in a row in the Western Conference semifinals, the Nuggets went to Minnesota to achieve two consecutive wins. The battle between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves is played at Denver's home court. In this game, veteran point guard Mike Conley was absent due to right Achilles tendon soreness, and Alexander Walker replaced him as the starter, and partnered with Edwards, Towns, Gobert, and McDaniels. The Nuggets are fully healthy, and the starting five are still Jokic, Murray, Gordon, Porter and Pope.
Jokic made 19+8+2 steals, and the Nuggets led the Timberwolves by 6 points! Edwards 1 in 8, Downs 11+5!
Review of the first half of the game
At the beginning of the first quarter, Pope scored on a jumper, Gobert assisted on McDaniels' dunk, Porter was blocked by Gobert, Murray scored a rebound, and Towns responded with a three-pointer. Porter blocked Walker, Towns scored on a buzzer-beating jumper, Pope scored in the air, Gobert made 1 of 2 free throws, and Gordon was substituted for his second foul. Jokic hit a buzzer-beating single, and Walker responded with a three-pointer. Jokic and Edwards each made 1 of 2 free throws, Jokic hit a hook shot, McDaniels responded with a long shot, and Jokic dunked violently.
McDaniels dunked
Porter scored from the outside, Jokic hit 2 free throws, and the Nuggets went on a 7-0 run. Edwards and Pope exchanged long-range shots, Reed made 1 of 2 free throws, and Lee Kyle scored on a jumper. Jokic hit a 2+1, Walker responded with a three-pointer, Reggie Jackson hit a basket and scored 2 goals, and Towns hit a hook shot. At the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets led 28-26, and Jokic scored 12 points in a single quarter.
In the second quarter of the competition, Lee Kyle assisted Gobert to dunk 2+0, Murray missed a single, Gobert dunked again, Mike Malone was dissatisfied with the penalty and ate a technical foul, Edwards hit a free throw, Braun hit 1 of 2 free throws, and Gordon made a dunk. Lee Kyle steals, Braun blocks Edwards, and the Timberwolves have three offensive fouls in a row, and the two teams are in a three-minute dilemma without scoring, and Morris hit a jumper to break the deadlock.
Gobert dunks
Jokic scored on a low post single, Gordon dunked, Towns scored on a throw, and Braun made a layup. Downs scored on a mid-range shot, Braun hit a 2+0, Gordon dunked, Morris scored on a single, Pope stealed, Braun dunked, and Finch asked for a timeout.
Jokic and Walker exchanged three-pointers, Jokic scored with a hook shot, Walker and Murray each hit a throw, and Edwards missed a layup. At halftime, the Nuggets led 50-44, and Jokic and Braun each scored seven points in the first quarter.
Gordon dunks Gobert
Jokic made a 19+8+2 steal
Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic exploded strongly in the first half. Jokic played 20 minutes, 7-of-10, 1-of-2 three-pointers, 4-of-5 free throws, and scored 19 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, with a plus/minus of +8. Jokic scored the highest first-half score for both teams on 70 percent shooting. In addition, Jokic is also the assist and steal leader of both teams.
Jokic singled Gobert
On both ends of the floor and in tandem with the team, Jokic has gone on a rampage. Jokic showed his all-around skills and played with ease, which was the key to the Nuggets' first-half lead.
Edwards 1 of 8
Timberwolves backcourt giant Anthony Edwards was caught in the first half by his opponents. Edwards played 22 minutes and finished with five points, three rebounds, two assists and three turnovers on 1-of-8 shooting, 1-of-3 three-pointers and 2-of-3 free throws. Edwards shot just 12.5 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range in the first half.
Edwards was trapped
Edwards also had the most turnovers in the first half. Edwards, who was heavily defended, needed to step up from the offensive end.
Downs 11+5
The Timberwolves' interior giant, Karl Anthony Towns, played well in the first half. Downs played 17 minutes, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range, with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, and 3 fouls. Towns scored the team's highest points and was the rebounding leader of both teams in the first half. On both ends of the floor, Downs is extremely aggressive.
Towns
However, Downs was the player with the most fouls in the first half, and he needs to control his actions and emotions on the court better.