Timberwolves Win Game 2
- The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their first-round NBA series. (usatoday.com) - Minnesota’s Game 2 victory came on April 20, creating an early momentum shift in the West. (usatoday.com) - Sports Illustrated and ESPN say this result helps separate watchable series from the early, less-competitive matchups. ( )
Minnesota beat Denver 119-114 on Monday, April 20, to even their first-round Western Conference series at 1-1. (nba.com) The Timberwolves erased a 19-point first-half deficit at Ball Arena, then held on late behind Anthony Edwards’ 30 points and 10 rebounds. (nba.com) Julius Randle added 24 points after a quieter opener, and the series now shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Thursday, April 23, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Denver opened the series with a 116-105 win on Saturday, April 18, behind Jamal Murray’s 30 points and Nikola Jokic’s triple-double. Minnesota’s split on the road changed the shape of the matchup before the teams left Colorado. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Game 2 turned on Minnesota’s defense as much as its comeback scoring. ESPN reported that Jokic shot 1-for-8 when Rudy Gobert was the primary defender, then missed three late shots after Gobert returned in the fourth quarter from foul trouble. (espn.com) Those late stops helped Minnesota survive a game that swung hard in both directions. NBA.com said Denver led 39-25 after one quarter, Minnesota answered by winning the second quarter 39-25, and Murray hit a 51-foot buzzer-beater to tie it 64-64 at halftime. (nba.com) The result also sharpened the contrast across the opening round. Sports Illustrated wrote after Game 1 that Denver-Minnesota already looked like one of the most compelling first-round series, while several other matchups opened with lopsided wins. (si.com) ESPN struck a similar note after Monday’s games, calling Minnesota’s road win “the game they needed” in Denver and sending the series back to Target Center with real pressure on both sides. (espn.com) Now the series is down to a best-of-five, with Minnesota holding home court for the next two games and Denver no longer carrying a clean edge from the opening weekend. (nba.com)
