Timberwolves up 2-1 on Nuggets

Minnesota didn’t take a 2-1 lead over Denver. It won Game 4, 112-96, on Saturday, April 25, and pushed the Nuggets to the brink at 3-1. (nba.com) (espn.com) The Timberwolves were down 54-50 at halftime at Target Center before outscoring Denver 62-42 in the second half. Minnesota won the third quarter 32-24 and the fourth 30-18. (espn.com) (nba.com) Ayo Dosunmu delivered the swing performance. The guard scored a career-high 43 points off the bench, and ESPN’s Associated Press recap said it was the highest-scoring playoff game by a reserve in 50 years. (espn.com) Minnesota needed that scoring because Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo both left with leg injuries during the game. NBA and ESPN highlight pages showed Edwards heading to the locker room after an awkward landing and DiVincenzo leaving with an apparent Achilles injury. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) The result changed the shape of the series. Denver won Game 1, but Minnesota has now taken three straight, including Game 3 in Minneapolis and Game 4 on the same floor. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) That puts the pressure on the Nuggets’ trip home. Game 5 is scheduled for Monday, April 27, at Ball Arena in Denver, with Minnesota one win from eliminating the West’s No. 3 seed. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Denver still got 30 points from Jamal Murray in Game 4, but the Nuggets finished with 96 points after scoring 105 and 119 in their first two games of the series. Nikola Jokić entered Game 4 as Denver’s series leader at 25.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game. (espn.com) (nba.com) Minnesota came into the matchup as the No. 6 seed after a 49-33 regular season, while Denver finished 54-28 and opened the series with home-court advantage. Four games later, the Wolves are the team with a closeout chance. (nba.com)