The Minnesota Timberwolves experienced the highest of highs in their Western Conference semifinal against the Denver Nuggets. Despite starting on the road, they took a 2-0 lead over the defending champions heading home.
That momentum led to the lowest of lows. The Timberwolves would not only lose both games at home but Game 5 in Denver as well. Facing elimination in Game 6, they started another ascension, winning 115-70. That set up a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Denver on Sunday night.
Trailing by as many as 20 points, the Timberwolves chances looked to be fading away. They were down 53-38 at halftime as nothing was going right on either end of the court. Halftime led to some adjustments and motivation from the coaching staff that spurred what would be the most impressive NBA Playoff comeback in history.
The 20-point deficit was the largest overcome in a Game 7 in the last 25 years. It was the first time a team leading by 15+ points at halftime of a Game 7 didn’t win the game. The Timberwolves received contributions from everyone, as they overwhelmed the defending champs with stellar defense and timely offense.
“It shows who we are,” Anthony Edwards said following the victory. “Once we really lock in on the defensive end, man, we’re a hell of a team to beat.”
Winning a Game 7 is difficult. Doing so on the road with your best player shooting 6-of-24 from the field is truly incredible. His teammates picked up the slack as Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels each had 23 points.
Six players overall scored in double-figures, leading to the Nuggets being the fifth consecutive NBA Champion to fall short of the Conference Finals the next season. League MVP Nikola Jokic did everything he could to lead his team to a win, scoring 34 points with 19 rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough.
Jamal Murray scored 35 points in the loss, as no other Nuggets players had more than seven. It was Murray, a little more than a year ago, who helped motivate the Timberwolves to get to this point.
“He was talking s—,” Edwards told ESPN as he walked down the ramp toward the team bus after his club’s 98-90 victory on Sunday. “He was telling Mike [Conley], ‘I’m sick of you, you can’t guard me,’ and all that.
“I told him, ‘We’ll be back. You’ll see us again when we’re fully loaded.'”
Edwards kept that promise. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets in one of the best NBA Playoff series in recent history, as they will be taking on the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
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