Timberwolves take 3-1 series lead
- The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 on Saturday night, taking a 3-1 first-round lead even after losing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to injuries. - Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting and 12-of-12 free throws after Minnesota lost both starting guards in the first half. - Minnesota is one win from the second round, but Edwards is expected to miss multiple weeks and DiVincenzo is out for the season. (espn.com)
Minnesota beat Denver 112-96 in Game 4 on Saturday, but the Timberwolves left with a 3-1 series lead and two major injuries. (espn.com) (nba.com) Donte DiVincenzo went down 1:19 into the game with a right-leg injury, and coach Chris Finch said afterward that the guard’s season is over with an Achilles tendon injury. (nba.com) Anthony Edwards exited late in the second quarter after his left knee buckled on a landing, and Minnesota ruled him out for the rest of Game 4. (nba.com) (usatoday.com) On Sunday, ESPN reported that Edwards avoided ligament damage but suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee and is expected to miss multiple weeks. (espn.com) Minnesota still pulled away in the second half behind Ayo Dosunmu, who scored a career-high 43 points off the bench on 13-for-17 shooting, made all five of his 3-point attempts and went 12-for-12 at the line. (espn.com) (nba.com) The Timberwolves are the No. 6 seed and the Nuggets are the No. 3 seed, so Minnesota is now one win from a first-round upset. Denver teams that fall behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven series face long odds; NBA.com said only 4.4% of teams have come back from that deficit. (nba.com) Edwards had been averaging 23 points and eight rebounds in the series before the injury, and DiVincenzo had averaged 14.3 points while making 11 of 22 3-pointers in the first three games. (nba.com) Game 5 is scheduled for Monday night at Ball Arena in Denver, where Minnesota will try to close the series without at least one starting guard and likely without both. (nba.com)
