Nuggets 115 - 107 Timberwolves summary, stats, scores and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 4
The Nuggets now return to Denver knowing that the series is tied, but the wind is in their sails heading into Game 5. So far it's been the roads getting the victory, but the Nuggets will try and change that while the Timberwolves try to recover after letting two massive chances to take control of the series slip. Game 5 is set for Tuesday at 10:30
Gordon couldn't miss on the night. He was nearly perfect in Game 4, as he stepped in for Murray who came alive in the second half and ended the night with 19 points and Michael Porter Jr. who had a rare off night with just 4 points.
It was MVP time in the 4th quarter as Nicola Jokic flipped a switch and began to dominate in the final 12 minutes. He had 16 to finish his night with 35 points in the crucial Game 4 win.
Justin Holiday chipped in three triples in the 3rd quarter, on his way to 10 points and helping the Nuggets win the battle of the benches.
When the T'Wolves were dominating this series, we were asking what happened to Aaron Gordon? He was the mismatch nightmare for everyone in last year's playoff, and he made sure to remind everyone exactly who he is, and how impactful he can be on a series. He hit 11/12 field goals on the night and scored 27, grabbed 6 boards and dished 7 assists.
It was a seven point game before Michael Porter Jrs. lay up on the break, but an 8-0 run to end the half stretched the lead to 15 as Jamal Murray ended the second quarter in style.
Jokic set the tone with this soaring jam down the lane. We aren't used to seeing him play above the rim, but this sort of set the tone for his team.
Jamal Murray's calf looked much better in Game 3, and even though he did't get off to a great shooting start, he did look much more mobile, and hit some big shots late in the first half.
Gordon deserves a lot of credit, but it was the bench who made a big difference in Game 4. Cristian Brun had 11 of the 27 bench points against a T'Wolves team that was supposed to dominate bench points in this series. Denver won the bench battle 27-13.
The Nuggets ended the first quarter on a 14-2 run after going down big early. Denver would add to that in the second quarter and keep the Wolves at a comfortable cushion for the rest of the night.
The Denver Nuggets pulled level in their Western Conference Semifinal series with the Minnesota Timberwolves with their second straight road win after going down 0-2 in the Mile HIgh City. Nikola Jokic led his side with 35, 7 and 7 in the 115-107 win from Target Center.
While Jokic is Mr. Reliable, it was Aaron Gordon who had a fantastic night from the field. He had a complete game, going for 27, 7 rebounds and 6 assists on a night in which the Nuggets got production from their first player to their eighth.
IT'S ALL OVER!!!
The Denver Nuggets even up the series as the road team gets another win in this wild series in the Western Conference Semis.
Jokic saw a lane out of the timeout and he took it right to the rack for a lay up.
Timeout Timberwolves with 25 to go.
Timeout Nuggets with 28.1 on the clock.
Braun sends Conley to the line and he hits both FTs with 28.1 on the clock.
Edwards to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits one of two FTs.
Gobert to the line after the foul on Gordon but he misses both FTs.
Jokic spins out of a double team and he lays it up and off the glass. He's got 14 on the 4th and 33 on the night.
Edwards races down the court and beats everyone to the rim for the lay up.
McDaniels pulls the trigger from the top of the key and he drills the three out of the timeout!
Gordon sticks it from outside the lane and the T'wolves will take a timeout with 3:13 to go.
Edwards at the line and he hits both FTs out of the timeout.
Edwards to the line after the foul on Braun and he'll be at the line after a Nuggets timeout with 3:33 to go.
Braun to the line after the foul on Conley and he hits both FTs.
Jokic on the pick and roll and Murray hit him for the one footed floater down the paint.
Gobert follows up the Edwards miss and tips it in.
Edwards going back to the rack and he's flirting with 40.
Jokic going to work down low and he hits the short lay up after the entry pass from Murray.
Conley comes up with another massive three pointer to cut the lead to 10!
Gordon had to pull the trigger with the shot clock winding down, and he drills the baseline deuce.
McDaniels finds a pocket of space and finger rolls it home for a lay up out of the timeout.
Extra pass from Gordon to Braun and he sticks the wide open three ball!
Timeout Timberwolves with 8:07 to go in the 4th quarter.
Gobert back to the line with another offensive rebound and he hits one of two FTs.
Gobert to the line after the foul on Gordon and he hits both FTs.
Jokic gets the offensive rebound and earns a trip to the line after the foul on Gobert and he hits both FTs.
Conley over the top to Gobert who slams it down with one hand!
Timeout Timberwolves, with 9:28 to go in the 4th.
KAT gets the push shot down low to falls, and he needs a bit more of that tonight.
Jokic drills a three ball wit the shot clock winding down!
Jokic spinning, shooting, hitting and gets the foul on Gobert in the lane. FT is good.
Conley floats it up and in from the lane to start the quarter.
WE ARE HEADING TO THE FOURTH QUARTER HERE FROM MINNESOTA!
Edwards to the line after the foul on Braun and he hits both FTs.
Edwards double clutching past KCP and slams it home off the drive from the wing!
Reid dives to the iron and lays it up and in.
Murry gets into the lane and hits the leaner through traffic.
Gordon to the line after the foul on Reid and he hits both FTs.
Braun to the line after the foul on Anderson and he hits both FTs.
Edwards puts it on the deck and gets to the cup for the lay up.
Timeout T'Wolves with 3:49 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Holiday sinks a three ball, his third of the quarter to calm the crowd here at Target Center.
Edwards is carrying his team in this third quarter! The three ball is good and we have a 10 point game!
Edwards on a little runner from inside the lane and the short jumper falls.
KAT to the line after the fourth on Jokic and he hits one of two FTs.
Murray has come out of the break red hot! He hits another three from the top of the key!
KAT with another offensive board and put back. Something has to get him going and the work on the boards might do it.
Gordon slashing down the lane and he soars for the slam!
Gobert trailing the play and he soars for the slam and the foul! FT is good after the third on Jokic.
KAT with the offensive board off the Edwards miss and he finally sees one go down.
Kick out from KCP to Gordon in the corner and he drills the three ball! He's 8/8 from the field on the night.
Murray comes out of the timeout and drills a three ball off the kick out from Joker!
Edwards sticks another three ball and that's buckets on the first six possessions of the half.
Timeout Nuggets with 10:14 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Gordon gets the step back fader to fall and he's got 16 on the night.
Edwards drills a three ball, and back and forth we go to start the half!
Murray pulls up from the FT line and is he going to start to warm up after just 7 in the first half?
Conley answers back with a three ball from the top of the key.
Murray gets the second half started with a runner in the lane and the lead is the largest of the night.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FROM MINNESOTA!
The lead was down to 7 late in the second quarter, but a KCP three ball, a MPJ lay up and this buzzer beater from Murray stretched the lead back out to 15 heading into half.
Jokic doesn't usually dunk, and when he does occasionally dunk, they aren't like this. He made a statement with this one handed jam in route to 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the first half.
Murray's movement looks like it's back to it's best which means Murray is back to his best. He got a glimpse of it last game, and he's giving us another taste tonight. He's got seven points and 6 assists.
Reid has 9 off the bench, but no one else is really doing much to help out Edwards. KAT is 1/10 with 3 points and Conley has just 5.
We have two buzzer beaters in the first two quarters of this game. This was the less spectacular one.
Gordon has 14 at the half, and has been doing it from inside and out. The Nuggets would go on a 14-2 run to end the half, starting with this bucket right here.
MPJ got the night going for the Nuggets, but the rest of the crew took a little while to get going. He's got just four on the night but he has made room for Gordon to take the wheel tonight.
ANT was awfully critical with himself after Game 3, and made sure that he was going to come out and be aggressive from the start.
MURRAY LAUNCHED A HALF COURT SHOT AT THE BUZZER AND IT WENT!!!
What a way to end the half from Target Center!
Jokic picks up the loose ball on one end and releases it down to MPJ who slams it down on the break.
Jokic with a kick out to KCP and he strokes it from the wing!
Edwards pulls up off the dribble and sinks a three ball! He's got 23 on the night!
McDaniels with the catch and shoot from outside the lane after the feed from Alexander-Walker.
Offensive board for Gordon and he puts it back up and in for the two handed slam.
Edwards drill the three right in front of the Nuggets bench and he starts to jaw to the Nuggets.
Jokic streaking down the lane and Gordon hit him for the big jam!
Jokic draws a double team down low and he slipped it over to Gordon for the jam.
Edwards goes right at Joker with the baseline drive and he hits the lay up on the reverse.
Edwards dashes down the lane and hangs for the tear drop in traffic.
Timeout Nuggets with 5:07 to go in the first half.
KAT is finally on the board with a jump hook from the block.
Jokic backing down Reid in the lane and he hits the turnaround fader.
Gobert to the line and he hits one of two FTs.
Murray with a foot inside the arc as the shot clock winds down.
Reid going back to the rack and he slams it home on a on handed tomahawk.
Reid off the dribble and he stretches to the bucket for a lay up.
Murray running the pick and roll with Jokic and he finds the big man for a lay up.
Edwards streaks to the cup and lays it up and in off the dish from Conley.
Jokic backing down on the block and he gets the turn around to fall.
Holiday to the line after the foul on Conley and he hits one of two FTs.
Conley snaps the run with a runner down the lane out of the timeout.
Murray running the break and he dumps it off for Braun who runs the lane and lays it up and in.
Timeout Timberwolves after a 26-4 run for DEN.
Gordon down the lane and he shimmies his way for the la up.
Holiday with a second triple in a matter of minutes, and the Nuggets lead by double digits. 22-4 run for Denver.
Braun working down low and he gets it to fall in traffic.
Reid gets the roll on a finger roll as he goes soaring through the paint.
Holiday starts the second with a three ball from the corner! That's a 17-2 run dating back to last quarter.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER AND THE NUGGETS LEAD BY 5.
Jokic beats the buzzer with a pump fake from the baseline and he hits the short jumper from outside the lane.
Alexander-Walker on the pull up from the FT line and he hits after just coming off the bench.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Reid and hits one of two FTs.
Jackson jacks another three from the wing, and he's got a couple quick three balls.
Gordon got fouled, took a hop step in the lane and threw up a pray for an and one! FT is good and the Nuggets lead.
Jackson off the bench and on the board with a three ball from the top of the key. Denver are going to need their bench to chip in as much as possible tonight.
Timeout Timberwolves with 3:47 to go in the first quarter.
Jokic crossing over in the paint and gets the baby hook to fall.
McDaniels at the line after the foul on KCP and he hits both FTs.
Gordon backing down inside and he gets the lay up to go in traffic.
Reid steps off the bench and steps into a three from the top of the key!
Edwards to the line after the foul on Murray and he hits both FTs. He's in double digits already.
Jokic took the bump from KAT, hit the shot and got he foul! FT is no good.
Murray with a pull up from the elbow and he gets his night starter after a 24 point Game 3.
Edwards back to the bucket and lays it off the glass!
He's got 9 and the Nuggets need a timeout with 7:57 to go in the 4th quarter.
Jokic working the pick and roll with Murray again and he his the jump hook to fall this time.
Edwards sinks a three ball off the dribble and he is off two an explosive start with 7 points already.
KAT to the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on Murray.
Gordon drills a three ball from the corner and if he starts making those, the Wolves could be in trouble.
Edwards pulls up from the FT line and he's off to a great start.
Pick and roll from Murray to Jokic and he hits the one footed leaner in the lane.
Edwards saw a seam at half court and hit it for the lay up in transition.
Conley drills the three ball from the top of the key to get his night started.
MPJ pump fakes, takes a dribble and hits the baseline jumper.
McDaniels drives from the wing and hits the runner through the lane.
GAME 4 IS UNDERWAY FROM DENVER!!
Nuggets starters
Mike Malone is going with his big guns tonight in the biggest game of the season. Jamal Murray is in the starting five, despite his calf strain, and he is joined by Nikola Jokic, KCP, MPJ and Aaron Gordon.
T'wolves chasing history
The Timberwolves are flirting with uncharted territory. This team is young, so young infact that the last time the Wolves got passed the first round of the playoffs most of these guys were too young to remember. Now, Anthony Edwards and company have a chance to make history if they can take down the Nuggets and return to the Western Conference Finals.
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Murry's calf
Was Jamal Murray's Game 3 performance a sign that his calf strain is starting to get better? The Nuggets point guard suffered in the injury late in the series against the Lakers in round one, and while he hasn't missed a game, he has been visibly affected by his injury. Tonight, he is listed on the injury report, but recent history would suggest that there is no way he's missing tonight.
ANT-tagonizing the Nuggets
Minnesota has a wide range of weapons in their arsenal and it showed in the first two games of this series. They have size, strength and speed, and that created a big problem for the Nuggets in the opening two games in Denver. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels are great players, but the T’Wolves are going to need their best player to be great in every game. Antony Edwards didn’t struggle in Game 3, he just wasn’t great, scoring 19 points, grabbing six rebounds and five assists. Edwards is averaging 30.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists, stats which have all gone up since the regular season. This team is young, and Edwards is one of the youngest on the team. It would be unreasonable to expect him to be on each and everyday, but it would be surprising to see him have an off night two games in a row.
No Jokicing around
With their backs against the wall, needing a win against a team that had run them up and down the floor for two games, who did the Nuggets go to to bring them back into the series? Nikola Jokic of course. Fresh off his third MVP award, Jokic did what he did best. What comes frighteningly easy to him. He slowed the game down, anchored the offense and nearly dropped a triple double to breathe life back into the Nuggets back to back bid. The T’Wolves aren’t just big and strong and fast. They are well coached. Chris Finch will have come up with a plan to counter Jokic tonight, but stopping the MVP of the league is easier said than done.
Game 3 recap
It’s was a must win for the Nuggets in Game 3 on the road, and the defending champions showed the title fire is still burning in their bellies. They were beaten up, outsmarted and out hustled in the first two games of the Western Conference Semis. That wasn’t the case in Game 3. Jamal Murray looked like his usual self which meant the Nuggets looked like their usual selves. Both he and Jokic scored 24 a piece as Denver dictated the pace of play, showing that they can handle the high paced, run and gun T’Wolves. Murray had struggled more than anyone to as he continues to deal with a calf strain, but he was unphased by the long and lengthy defenders last game. Jokic had 24, 14 and 9 assists in a game that Denver went up by 20 in the first half and led by as many as 33 in the 4th quarter.
We are live from Target Center
Hello everyone and welcome to the Target Center where the Denver Nuggets came in to last game flirting with disaster after losing their first two games at home.They didn’t just lost, they were dominated in Games 1 and 2. The defending champions needed a Game 3 win to have any chance of advancing, and they showed that they aren’t going out without a fight. How do the T’Wolves respond after dominating the first two games, and having been written into the conference finals by just about everyone? Minnesota got a taste of what the Nuggets do to the rest of the league, but if you believe all the experts, the home side still has the matchup advantage. Tonight’s game is going to be massive. If Minnesota win, they are practically a shoe in to the next round, if Denver wins, things are going to get awfully interesting.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 4
Things got a whole lot more interesting in the Western Conference Semifinals after Denver went in to Minnesota and pulled off their first win of the series in a hostile Target Center. Tonight the Nuggets will have a chance to pull even if they can get another road win against the Timberwolves in Game 4. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s massive match up from Minnesota.