The Minnesota Timberwolves played Monday without Defensive Player of the Year finalist Rudy Gobert.
It didn’t matter.
The Timberwolves suppressed the Denver Nuggets from the start and won 106-80. The point total marked the lowest of the season for Denver and for the second time in two playoff games the Timberwolves held the Nuggets under 100 points.
With the win, Minnesota took a 2-0 series lead with two road wins over the defending NBA champions.
Can the Nuggets return the series to Denver?
Barring significant adjustments in Games 3 and 4, the champions could have just played the final home game of the season. The Timberwolves have been the better team through two games by an overwhelming margin and return to Minnesota with a chance to close out the series at home.
That makes for an impressive first two conference semifinal games from a Nuggets team that has never lost in a series and lost just four playoff games en route to last season’s NBA title. There were few Mondays that resembled a title contender’s home team struggling to get anything going against the best defense in the NBA.
Timberwolves attack Jamal Murray
Minnesota picked up where Monday left off with Friday’s 106-99 win. The Timberwolves jumped out to a 28-20 lead in the first quarter, holding Nuggets stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. scoreless in the process. Murray is hampered by a nagging calf injury suffered in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Timberwolves repeatedly took advantage of this vulnerability with pressure defense and traps that confused the Nuggets point guard.
The effort was rewarded on the scoreboard. At halftime, Murray remained scoreless and MVP favorite Nikola Jokić was limited to eight points. The combined halftime point totals of Denver’s two leading scorers marked the lowest of the season.
In attack, Anthony Edwards continued to do his job. The emerging star scored 16 first-half points on the heels of his 43-point outburst in Game 1. His All-Star teammate Karl Anthony Towns had 20 by halftime as Denver was unable to match Minnesota’s defensive intensity.
Minnesota outscored Denver 33-15 in the second quarter en route to a 61-35 halftime lead. The 26-point deficit was the largest at home in Nuggets playoff history.
The game ended at halftime
There was no challenge from Denver after the break. The Timberwolves extended their third-quarter lead to 73-41, and the Nuggets didn’t reach 19 points again.
With the Timberwolves leading 95-70 and Edwards at the free throw line, the MVP chants began for Minnesota’s rising star. Home fans began to leave the Ball Arena. Nuggets coach Michael Malone emptied his bench with more than three minutes remaining and the Timberwolves leading 99-75.
Edwards again led the Timberwolves with 27 points, along with seven assists, two rebounds and steals. He continued to attack the basket and score difficult goals that are becoming his signature throughout these playoffs.
Towns shared the lead with 27 points, 12 rebounds, a steal and two blocks.
Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid took over Gobert’s role as rim protector with 14 points, four rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes off the bench. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was tasked with applying pressure on the perimeter and recorded 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench. Four Timberwolves players recorded two steals each.
Nuggets had no answers
Aaron Gordon was the only offensive bright spot for Denver, with 20 points on an 8-of-14 shooting night. Jokić was the only other Nuggets starter in double figures, with 16 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists. He made 5 of 13 shots from the field and recorded four turnovers, which marked an improvement over his Game 1 total of seven turnovers.
Murray finished with eight points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals. He turned the ball over four times and shot 3 of 18 from the field. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts. Denver has a decision to make before Friday’s Game 3 if Murray doesn’t show significant improvement from his calf injury.
As a team, the Nuggets shot 34.9% from the field and 30% (9 of 30) from 3-point range. They committed 16 turnovers. The Timberwolves countered with a 50.6% effort from the field and a 39.4% (13-of-33) performance from beyond the arc.
Once again, the Timberwolves did all this without Gobert, who was home Monday morning for the birth of his son. He tried to travel to Denver in time for Monday’s game, but weather complications ensured he couldn’t make it. He will likely be ready for Game 3 with his Timberwolves leading the series 2-0.
