How has the NBA reacted to Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 7 win over Denver Nuggets?
On Sunday night, the Timberwolves pulled off a sensational comeback in Game 7 to eliminate the defending champions. The NBA was more than impressed.
It seems like just yesterday that the idea of the Denver Nuggets repeating as champions of the NBA was being widely discussed. Today, they’re out of the NBA playoffs without even having made it to the Western Conference finals and the team that eliminated them is the talk of the town, and rightly so.
The NBA can’t get enough of the Minnesota Timberwolves
As the dust settles on what was a wild Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, one thing is clear and it’s that the NBA and basketball fans in general are in shock. After trailing by as many as 20 points, the Timberwolves managed to claw a way back into the game, eventually defeating the defending champions 98-90 and with that, eliminating them from the 2024 NBA playoffs in the Western Conference semifinals. Where the specifics are concerned, it was a result that few could have seen coming. After all, the Nuggets had a sizeable lead, the Timberwolves’ scoring machine, Anthony Edwards, was off to a slow start and that was that.
Who could have predicted that Denver would play so terribly in the 3rd and that the Timberwolves would maintain their calm while continuing to chip away at the lead? Indeed, Minnesota gave Nikola Jokic and Co. a lesson in patience and determination, ensuring in the end that they will play in their first Western Conference Finals in 20 years while condemning the Nuggets to be the 6th consecutive NBA champion that has failed to repeat, an idea that has confirmed the league’s growing parity. Yet, as much as we could continue to gush about Edwards, Towns, and others, perhaps it would be best to go with the numerous reactions from players around the league. Take a look below to see a selection of some of the best we saw on social media:
Charles Barkley needs to book a ticket to Minnesota
How can we not start with Charles Barkley’s exchange with Anthony Edwards post-game? The Hall of Famer turned TV analyst admitted that it’s been quite a long time since he’s been to Minnesota. In response, Edwards was frank if not funny. “Bring ya ass,” he said.
Joel Embiid was in shock
There was also the Philadelphia 76ers’ star Joel Embiid who kept things short and sweet. Truthfully, it was probably the most accurate reaction of all of them, as his one-word post more or less spoke for the large majority of us. See for yourself:
Trae Young knows depth when he sees it
When taking a look at the numbers, it becomes clear that the Timberwolves are a sum of their parts. With no less than six players hitting double figures in scoring, it was the Minnesota’s roster depth that proved to be Denver’s undoing and that’s something that Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young alluded to with his appreciation post.
Jamal Crawford had an intimate moment
While much has been made of Anthony Edwards this season and believe us, he is worth the hype, the Timberwolves do have another rising star in the form of Karl-Anthony Towns, who put up 23 points on 8-of-14 from the field, along with 12 rebounds to round out an impressive double-double. Though he didn’t say what he told Towns post-game, NBA legend Jamal Crawford did share a video of him approaching and chatting with both Edwards and Towns after the win. Where the latter is concerned, it was clear that Crawford had a special moment with him.
Jordan Clarkson is a fan of ‘Ant Man’
As mentioned Edwards didn’t have a massive game in terms of points, scoring only 16 on 6-for-24 shooting, but what he did do was notch eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals while putting in a solid defensive shift on the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray. Ultimately, ‘Ant Man’ was as mature in his performance as he was consistent and that’s something that left Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson more than impressed.
Is Patrick Beverly’s comparison correct?
Crawford was not the only one impressed with Edwards either or KAT for that matter. Indeed, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverly was quick to praise Towns before making a rather interesting comparison between Minnesota’s duo of Edwards and Jaden McDaniels with the legendary Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls.
For his part McDaniels was excellent on the night with 23 points on 70% shooting, along with six rebounds, two steals and one block. Truly it was a night to remember and one that demonstrated how loaded the NBA is with talent at this time, and much of it is young which is to say we’ve got quite a few years of this to look forward to as these players mature.
Indeed, as you will see in our piece about parity, the league has done a great deal to bring the landscape to where it is now i.e., competitiveness is at an all-time high while we are witnessing the emergence of a new class of genuine superstars. Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is set for Wednesday, May 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET with the Minnesota Timberwolves facing the Dallas Mavericks. Don’t miss it!