In a thrilling showdown, the Minnesota Timberwolves orchestrated a stunning comeback to defeat the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets 98-90 in a nerve-wracking Game 7 on Sunday night. Edwards leads historic comeback, as Anthony Edwards, who had a rocky start, became the hero of the hour, propelling the Timberwolves back from a daunting 20-point deficit.
Timberwolves Dethrone Nuggets: Edwards Leads Historic Comeback!
By halftime, the Timberwolves were trailing by 15 points, marking the largest comeback in a Game 7 in NBA playoff history. Edwards, with just four points, no rebounds, and three assists at the break, ignited in the second half, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Despite his 6-of-24 shooting performance, Edwards’ impact was undeniable.
“It was tough, man, finding my rhythm tonight,” Edwards admitted. “I just had to trust my teammates and make the right plays. They stepped up and made shots. Big shout-out to those guys.”
Edwards’ defensive prowess was on full display as he stifled Jamal Murray, who had racked up 24 points by halftime but could only add 11 more in the second half, finishing with 35. Edwards asserted, “I’m not just a scorer. I can lock down their best guard. I did that on Jamal in the second half, and it turned the game around.”
As the final seconds ticked away, Edwards waved goodbye to the stunned crowd at Ball Arena, where the Nuggets boasted a 33-8 home record this season. Minnesota, however, triumphed thrice on this hostile court during the series.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels each contributed 23 points, propelling the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals for the first time in two decades. They will face the Dallas Mavericks starting Wednesday night at Target Center.
Rudy Gobert expressed his exhilaration: “Beating an incredible team like the Nuggets, with the best player in the world, feels amazing.”
Denver had bolted to a 53-38 halftime lead, thanks to Murray’s scorching start. But Minnesota’s top-ranked defense clamped down, closing the third quarter on a 28-9 run to trail by just one point, 67-66.
Gobert gave the Timberwolves their first lead since the first quarter early in the fourth. With Towns in foul trouble, Naz Reid, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, delivered crucial plays on both ends, maintaining Minnesota’s edge.
A pivotal stretch saw Reid make two free throws and a dunk, followed by an Edwards three-pointer that extended the lead to 92-82 with three minutes left.
Despite a valiant effort from Murray and Nikola Jokic, who added 34 points and 19 rebounds, the Nuggets fell short. Coach Michael Malone lamented the heavy burden on his stars, saying, “We’re expecting Jokic and Jamal to keep pulling rabbits out of their hat, but they need help.”
The Timberwolves’ victory marks their first Game 7 win since defeating Sacramento 20 years ago, the last time they reached the conference finals. Meanwhile, the Nuggets join a string of defending champions failing to make the conference finals since Golden State in 2019.
Reflecting on the defeat, Malone drew inspiration from the Spurs’ dynasty: “They never won back-to-back titles. This loss, this pain, can help us win another championship. Can we use this year?”
Murray echoed this sentiment: “For sure. It’s back to being the hunter.”
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