Timberwolves send Defending Champion Nuggets Home

It wasn’t looking good for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 7 of their NBA Western Conference semifinal against the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the Mile High City on May 19th. Denver had a 15 point lead at half time, and held Anthony Edwards to just four points in the first half. But as is often the case, the game was a Tale of Two Halves.

The Timberwolves allowed the fewest points per game in the regular season in the NBA, and the defense played that way in the second half, allowing just 14 points in the third quarter and 37 overall in the second half. Denver scored the first five points of the half to push its lead to 20, but that was pretty much the end of it for the Nuggets. Edwards improved in the second half (finishing with 16 points, seven assists and eight rebounds) and his teammates stepped up to make up for his slow start. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 and had a dozen rebounds and Jaden McDaniels also scored 23. Six Timberwolves scored in double figures as Minnesota prevailed 98-90 to win the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

In the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 130-109 to take that series in seven games. The Pacers will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Finals.