DENVER — Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Cities powered Minnesota’s 106-80 blitz of the Denver Nuggets on Monday night time that gave the Timberwolves a 2-0 lead within the Western Convention semifinals over the reigning however reeling NBA champions.
Cities and Edwards each scored 27 factors because the Wolves improved to 6-0 within the playoffs and gave themselves an opportunity to shut out the fuming Nuggets with wins Friday night time and Sunday in Minneapolis.
So dominant have been the Wolves that they’d the Nuggets throwing each matches (Michael Malone) and objects onto the court docket (Jamal Murray).
Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 factors, Nikola Jokic had 16 factors and 16 rebounds however their third-leading scorer was sub Justin Holliday with 13 factors. Murray scored 8 factors on 3-of-18 taking pictures.
The Wolves staggered the Nuggets with physique blow after physique blow although their beginning heart Rudy Gobert was again residence in Minneapolis attending the delivery of his son Sunday. However they didn’t want Gobert’s shot blocking prowess and rim safety on this night time to proceed their domination of the Nuggets at Ball Area, the place Denver was 36-8 earlier than their back-to-back losses to Minnesota.
Kyle Andeson changed Gobert within the beginning lineup and the Timberwolves hounded Jokic and disrupted Denver’s offense simply the identical.
Throughout a 43-18 first-half flourish by the Timberwolves — Edwards was on the bench for a lot of it, no much less — the Nuggets grew so annoyed that Malone ran manner out onto the court docket and acquired in official Marc Davis’ face for an prolonged blowup throughout a timeout and in some way prevented a technical.
So did Murray after Denver’s ailing level guard threw a warmth pack onto the court docket in frustration as Cities was about to attain on a layup within the second quarter.
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It wasn’t clear if the officers realized it was Murray who threw the thing onto the court docket and never a fan. He’ll seemingly face punishment from the league, nevertheless.
Annoyed by their sluggish begins — the Nuggets have trailed by double digits in six of their seven playoff video games and by 9 within the different — Malone challenged his workforce to get off to a powerful begin for as soon as.
“What are we ready for?” he pleaded after Sunday’s observe.
Solely Aaron Gordon heeded his coach’s name, scoring 13 fast factors, together with a 3-pointer that introduced the Nuggets to 18-17 late within the first quarter.
Issues unravelled for Denver after that as a result of Jokic was the one different starter to attain for the Nuggets earlier than the second quarter. Jokic had simply eight factors by halftime and Murray, nonetheless bothered by a strained left calf, scored simply two first-half factors for the duo’s worst offensive output in a half this season.
Trailing 61-35 on the break, the Nuggets’ 26-point halftime deficit was Denver’s largest in a house playoff recreation in franchise historical past.
The Wolves led 82-60 after three quarters and cruised the remainder of the best way.
