Jokic poster, Nuggets blown lead

Denver gave away a 19-point lead on April 20, and Minnesota left Ball Arena with a 119-114 win that tied the first-round series at 1-1. (espn.com) The Nuggets led 39-25 after one quarter and still had control deep into the game before the Timberwolves closed stronger behind Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Edwards scored 30 points, and Jamal Murray scored 30 for Denver in the loss. (espn.com) Nikola Jokic still produced the night’s signature clip when he drove baseline and dunked over Rudy Gobert, a play that spread quickly on social media even as Denver’s lead disappeared. The final score, though, left the highlight attached to a collapse instead of a win. (x.com) (apnews.com) Minnesota’s response changed the shape of the series in two days. Denver had won Game 1, 116-105, on April 18, but the split means the matchup moved to Minneapolis with neither team holding a two-game edge. (espn.com) (nba.com) That swing matters in a first-round series because home-court advantage is built to protect the higher seed early. Denver entered as the No. 3 seed, Minnesota as the No. 6 seed, and the Wolves took that edge away before the series left Colorado. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The comeback also fit Minnesota’s recent playoff history against Denver. The Associated Press noted the Timberwolves had already come back from a 20-point deficit against the Nuggets in Game 7 two years earlier on the way to the Western Conference finals. (apnews.com) Rudy Gobert’s impact went beyond the dunk he absorbed. The Associated Press reported that Gobert helped wear Denver down late, and Denver Post coverage pointed to Minnesota’s 20-3 edge in second-chance points, including a Gobert put-back dunk in the final minutes. (apnews.com) (denverpost.com) The schedule now puts the pressure on Denver to answer on the road. Game 3 is set for April 23 in Minneapolis, with the series tied and the Jokic poster already reduced to a footnote beside the blown lead. (nba.com)