Denver Wins Third Game in a Row to Take Series Lead
Some say an NBA playoff series never begins until someone wins on the road. If that’s the case then this Western Conference Semi-Final Series started Game One as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets behind a miraculous 43-point performance from Anthony Edwards. In Game Two it was more of the same incredible play from the Timberwolves who went up 2-0 in Denver as Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 54 points. As the series headed back to Denver for Game Three the big question was: Can the Denver Nuggets come back and win this series? That question, while we still can’t answer it fully yet, looks a lot more possible as Denver was able to win on the road in Game Three behind wonderful efforts from Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. who combined for 69 points and Game Four behind 35 points from Jokic and a 27 point performance from Aaron Gordon that consisted of only missing one shot of the twelve he took. As both these teams headed into this Game Five both knew it was a must-win as the winner of Game Five in a series that was tied 2-2 goes on to win the series 82% of the time. In the end, it was Denver who emerged victorious in this Game Five 112-97. Let’s take a look at how the Nuggets won this one!
The first quarter of this one was competitive, with the Nuggets leading by a narrow margin of 28-26. The second quarter saw Denver extend their lead slightly, heading into halftime with a 50-44 advantage. Despite a strong start from Minnesota’s Towns, who tallied 23 points and six rebounds by the end of the game, the Timberwolves struggled to maintain momentum. The third quarter in this game was pivotal for Denver. The Nuggets exploded with a 38-point quarter, spearheaded by Jokic’s incredible performance. Jokic, who finished the game with a commanding 40 points, seven rebounds, and 13 assists, was nearly unstoppable, helping Denver pull away with a substantial lead. Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope provided solid support, each scoring 16 points. Gordon also contributed significantly, with 18 points and 10 rebounds, ensuring that the Nuggets maintained their dominance throughout the second half.
Minnesota had a tough night, particularly from behind the arc, hitting only 30.8% of their three-point attempts. Despite having 18 points and nine assists, Edwards had a rough night getting double-teamed most of the game and only being able to make five of the fifteen shots he attempted. Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s defensive player of the year, finished with a double-double as he scored 18 points, and pulled down 11 rebounds, he shot a perfect 7-7 from the field. Unfortunately, he had no answer for his man all night on the defensive end as Jokic used his footwork and passing ability to make him look foolish, causing the Timberwolves to be unable to close the gap in the third quarter. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 points and five assists, but it wasn’t enough to counter Denver’s efficient shooting and cohesive team play. Minnesota also struggled with turnovers, committing 14, which hindered their ability to mount a comeback. The Timberwolves no doubt missed their starting point guard Mike Conley in this one, whose timetable on when he will return is unsure due to a sore Achilles.
We all know the Nuggets are the reigning NBA Champions. However heading into this season, while the Nuggets brought back all five of their starters, the big question was: What will their bench look like? Bruce Brown, who was a huge part of Denver’s playoff run last year always providing new firepower every time he came in the game off the bench, signed with the Indiana Pacers in free agency and so the Nuggets had to think about what needed to be done to their bench to help them have a full championship level roster once again this year. When we think about the fact that they obviously didn’t have the money to go out and sign expensive bench pieces, they had to work with what they could get and what they had. That idea seems to be exactly what they have done as Justin Holiday, Reggie Jackson, and Christian Braun, who combined played 50 big minutes, providing all the starters much-needed rest, for Denver in this game, are continuing to be important pieces for the Nuggets as these playoffs continue. Denver seems to have no weak spot on their team again this year and Minnesota seems to have no answer to stop anything that Jokic does. Can the Nuggets repeat as Champions?
