DENVER — With Defensive Participant of the 12 months front-runner Rudy Gobert unavailable and the defending champion Denver Nuggets needing a win to even their Western Convention semifinals sequence, the Minnesota Timberwolves placed on a masterful defensive efficiency in a 106-80 Recreation 2 victory.
“We have had some actually, actually good defensive efforts this 12 months, however that needs to be proper up there with the perfect of them,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch stated. “On the ball, off the ball, the physicality, the execution of the sport plan. … Simply actually locked in on protection.”
If holding Denver to simply 34.9% capturing as a workforce with forceful defensive rotations and forcing 19 turnovers with a suffocating perimeter presence was Minnesota’s substance Monday, Anthony Edwards’ 27 factors and seven assists coming in highlight-reel trend was the workforce’s fashion.
There was the time within the first half when the 22-year-old Wolves guard dribbled between his legs to maintain the Nuggets’ Reggie Jackson from stealing the ball, which induced Jackson to fall to his knees — and prompted Edwards to level on the fallen Denver guard for everybody to see what he simply did to him.
Then within the second half, there was the 3-pointer he hit with 6:58 to go that he punctuated with a Michael Jordan-esque shrug as he backpedaled down the courtroom along with his workforce forward by, appropriately sufficient, 23 factors.
And a few minute later, there was the driving layup he scored whereas absorbing a foul from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope that Edwards celebrated with a Hulk Hogan-esque biceps bulge whereas he was splayed out on the ground.
“If I do one thing good, I obtained to let or not it’s recognized,” Edwards stated with a smile. “Whether or not I get an and-1, I obtained to flex. Make any person fall, I’ll level at them. And it brings pleasure to the sport.”
Edwards, chosen by the Wolves with the No. 1 decide in 2020, was seated subsequent to Karl-Anthony Cities, taken by the workforce at No. 1 in 2015, on the postgame dais.
Cities, who matched Edwards’ scoring complete with 27 factors to go along with 12 rebounds and a couple of blocks, loved the present similar to the Wolves followers tuning in to observe one of the crucial promising groups within the historical past of the franchise.
“Let me put it like this,” Cities stated. “When Ant is on the market speaking his s—, I do know that we’re in for a very good night time.”
The Wolves may very well be in for a good higher time when the sequence shifts to the Goal Middle in Minneapolis for Friday’s Recreation 3 (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) within the largest dwelling recreation in 20 years.
Whereas the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic dominated the league en path to the title final spring, Edwards and Cities have been the dynamic duo to observe by the primary two video games.
Murray was held to eight factors on 3-for-18 capturing, 13 rebounds and 4 turnovers, and referee Marc Davis stated the Nuggets level guard ought to have been assessed a technical foul for throwing a heating pad onto the courtroom throughout stay motion within the second quarter. Jokic had 16 factors, 16 rebounds and eight assists, however he shot simply 5-for-13 and matched Murray’s 4 turnovers.
The Wolves ought to be again at full power Friday.
Gobert, who missed Monday whereas accompanying his associate for the delivery of their first baby, a child boy, is predicted to return to the lineup. One other win will put Minnesota one recreation away from its first convention finals look since 2004 and put the Nuggets getting ready to elimination.
“We’re extraordinarily honored and blessed that now we have this chance to go dwelling up 2-0,” Cities stated. “However, we’re humble on this method. We perceive that we have put ourselves in a fantastic place, however as nice because the place we’re in, it may very well be very dangerous [if we do not win during] our homestand.
“So, we simply obtained to go on the market, deal with enterprise, do what we do, play protection at a excessive stage and execute even at a better stage as a result of the defending champions, you’ll be able to’t give them a minute of slippage in any respect within the recreation.”
