Timberwolves 107 - 116 Nuggets summary, stats, scores and highlights | NBA
Watson ended the night with 3 points, 4 rebound and 4 assists but his blocks were bringing energy to Ball Arena all night, none more so that led to this tomahawk slam on the other end.
With the win, the Nuggets take a one game lead over the T'Wolves with two games to go. They will take on the Spurs and the Grizzlies on the road to close out the season and if they win those two games, they win clinch their second straight one seed in the West.
Christian Braun had back to back dunks to put the icing on the cake for the Nuggets as they closed out the T'Wolves in style.
Jokic and Rudy Gobert were involved in a heavyweight battle all night. Gobert had 13 and 15 rebounds, but there was no stopping Jokic on a night in which he knew first place was up for grabs. He said before the game that it "wasn't a big game." He played like the Nuggets were fighting for their lives in one of the biggest games of the season.
Gordon was held scoreless until this point of the game. He only had 5 points on the night but it seemed like once he got on the board things calmed down on the offensive end for Denver. He had 9 assists on the night, but on this play he was the one getting the dime from Murray.
Murray set the tone coming out of the halftime break after the Nuggets had a sluggish second quarter in which they turned the ball over five times. He had the first 7 points of the half of the Nuggets and that seemed to get them back on track for the rest of the game.
There is a lot of talk about who is going to step up on this young Nuggets bench in the playoffs, and Peyton Watson made sure everyone knows his name before the regular season is done. He had six blocks on Wednesday night and 13 in his last three games.
Jokic and the Nuggets were going up against one of the best defensive teams in the league with a multiple Defensive Player of the Year winner, but he had one of his best games of the season. He went 16/20 from the field in a 40 point performance.
This game was played with playoff intensity as both teams battled for first place in the conference. There was a different intensity to this game and the Nuggets answered the call on the defensive end all night.
The Denver Nuggets are on the verge of their second straight one seed after knocking off the Minnesota Timberwolves in a battle at the top of the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic carried his team with 41 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in the win from Ball Arena on Wednesday night.
Jamal Murray was in his third game back from injury after spraining his ankle, and one thing that should not be overlooked as Denver closes in on the one seed is how healthy this team is. They have everyone in tip top shape heading into the most important time of the season. The Wolves, however, are not and even though they will get Karl-Anthony Towns back soon, how long is it going to take him to get back into playing shape after surgery on his meniscus?
IT'S ALL OVER HERE FROM DENVER!!!
The Nuggets take a huge step towards the one seed in the West with this win over the Wolves.
Miller to the line and he hits one of two FTs to call it a night.
Jackson to the line after the foul on Nix and he hits both FTs.
Nix with another three ball but this surge from the bench is coming too late for MIN.
Minott in the corner and he drills the three off the dish from Moore Jr.
Jokic into traffic and he lays it up and in to hit 41 on the night!
Nix to the line after the foul on Jackson and he hits both FTs.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Garza and he hits both FTs.
Steal from Garza and Nix finds Minott for the slam on the break.
Miller off the bench and he hits the elbow jumper.
Watson with a block on one end and a huge slam on the other! Denver is putting on a show to close out the Wolves here in this battle at the top of the West!
Braun again! This time off the alley oop from MPJ and that might just seal the win and the one seed for Denver!
Timeout MIN with under 3:00 to go!
Braun had a two on one and took it right at Gobert for the slam!
Reid with the offensive board and put back from under the iron.
MPJ to the line after the foul on Edwards and he hits both FTs.
The call is overturned! It will be a jump ball to get us back in play.
Watson was called for a foul, but the Nuggets are going to challenge the call with 3:47 to go in the 4th quarter.
Jokic to the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on McDaniels.
Back door cut from Braun and Jokic found him on the dash to the rack! He slams it home and gets fouled by Braun, FT is no good but the rebound bounces out of bounds off of MIN.
Timeout Wolves with 4:03 to go in the 4th quarter.
Gobert finds McDaniels on the baseline cut and he slams it home.
Jokic spins on Gobert from the baseline and hits the reverse.
Conley comes up with another big shot, this time from the top of the key!
Murray comes out of the timeout and and hits the floater from outside the lane and the lead is up to 11.
MPJ pulls up on the baseline and drills the mid range jumper off the handoff from Jokic.
Timeout Wolves with 6:07 to go.
Jokic drills the mid range jumper from the FT line off the lay off from Murray.
Watson fouled by Reid and he hits one of two FTs.
Watson draws the defense and dumps it off for Gordon for the two fisted slam!
Conley was left open out of the timeout and he strokes it from the wing.
MPJ follows up the miss by Gordon and puts it up and in!
Timeout Wolves with 8:46 to go in the 4th.
Jackson penetrates and finger rolls it in as he flies pas the defense.
Alexander-Walker drives from the left side into the middle of the lane and gets the high arching lay up to fall off the glass.
Gordon to the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on Reid.
Gobert gets the offensive board off the missed three from Conley and he puts it back up and in.
Reid to the line to start the fourth quarter but he misses both FTs.
WE ARE HEADED TO THE FINAL QUARTER AND THE NUGGETS LEAD BY 3.
12 minutes to figure out who takes a giant step towards the one seed in the West!
Gobert to the line after the foul on Jokic but he misses both FTs and the crowd at Ball Arena goes wild.
Watson dumps it off in the paint for Jokic and he puts it up and in.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Gobert and he hits one of two FTs.
Jackson beats the shot clock buzzer with a three ball from the wing and we are tied up!
Edwards to the line after the foul on Watson and he hits one of two FTs.
Jokic hits the FT out of the timeout.
Jokic to the cup after Gobert almost stole the ball, but he shurgs off Gobert and gets the lay up to go AND 1!!
He's at the FT line after the timeout with 2:46 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Edwards falling to the floor and he gets the roll off the leaner in the lane. FT is good after the foul on KCP.
Jokic in traffic down low and he some how got it to drop over Gobert.
Alexander-Walker in the corner and he drills the three ball at a huge moment in the game!
Jokic falshes through the lane and gets the off balanced runner to fall AND 1! FT is no good after the foul on Anderson.
Reid to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits one of two FTs.
Jokic drills a three ball and we are back to a one possession game!
Gobert gets the put back after the offensive board off the miss from Reid .
Reid misses the FT out of the timeout, and MPJ drives baseline on the other end for the jam off the dish from Gordon.
Reid takes MPJ off the dribble, gets the bucket and the foul! FT coming after the timeout with under 6:00 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Edwards slashing and hanging down the right side and gets it to go off the glass.
Kickout from Gordon to MPJ and he drills the triple from the wing!
Reid was blanketed but still got the floater off the glass to fall on the left side.
Jokic on the pick and roll and Gordon found him for the runner in the lane.
Gordon picks off the pass from Conley and he finds KCP streaking in transition for the jam.
Edwards to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits one of two FTs.
Three ball from Conley and he's got 13 on the night!
Edwards to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits both FTs.
Lob up top from Jokic and Gordon throws down a reverse alley oop to tie the game up. Those are his first points of the night.
Murray answering the call and hits the pull up three ball from the wing. He's got 7 quick points in the third quarter.
Edwards with back to back three balls and UH OH.
Murray off the dribble and pulls up from the FT line.
Edwards drops his first triple of the night, and if that starts to fall for him then the Nuggets are in trouble.
Murray drills the floater from just inside the FT line to get the second half going.
WE ARE BACK IN DENVER FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION.
Jokic has been Jokic in the first half. You could only assume in a game like this he'd step up and take control and he has. He's got 17, 7 and 3 assists at halftime. but the Nuggets still trail by three.
They looked a little sloppy at times in the first half, which is unusual from Denver especially at Ball Arena.
Gobert is having himself quite a night on both ends. He got the block on Jokic on D and then ran down the floor for the slam in transition. He's got 9 and 9 at half.
This game has had a playoff feel to if for obvious reasons, but the defense both teams are playing are some great defense on the second end of a back to back.
Anthony Edwards had a career high 51 points last night against the Wizards, and tonight he's got 10 and 5 assists in maybe the most important game of the season.
With Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for at least another game, Naz Reid is taking advantage of some extra PT. KAT is expected to return before the playoffs after having meniscus surgery in March.
This game has gone back and forth for the first 24 minutes as the lead has changed more than a handful of times. Jamal Murray got the Nuggets going but was quiet for much of the rest of the first quarter.
We are headed to halftime with the T'Wolves leading by three points after two quarters.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Anderson and he hits both FTs.
Gobert gets the tip in and the foul! FT is good after the foul on Jokic.
KCP crashing the boards and he tips in the Murray missed three.
Conley with five straight points after drills a three ball from the corner!
Conley down the lane and he lays it up and in on the right side.
MPJ picks up his dribble and finds Murray in stride for three and the Nuggets have the lead!
Gordon on the baseline and he finds Jokic in the lane and he hits the soft touch short jumper.
Timeout T'Wolves with 2:43 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Murray drives left and hang it high off the glass.
Extra behind the back pass from under the basket to find Gobert for the slam in transition.
McDaniels down the lane for the lay up over Jokic.
Jokic goes up and under Gobert for the lay up in the lane.
Murray drills a three from the wing, and let's see if that gets him going after a slow start.
McDaniels comes up with the steal on Murray and finds Edwards for the jam on the other end!
Edwards gets the bounce off the fader from the FT line.
Reid pulls up in the paint and gets the floater to fall.
Timeout Denver with 6:05 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Gobert gets the offensive board and put back off the McDaniels miss.
McDaniels gets into the lane and gets the roll off a tough shot in traffic.
Braun strips Anderson and takes it to the rack for the steal and score.
Jackson gets into the paint and he floats it up and in.
Anderson to the line after the foul on Watson, who has been having a block party tonight, and Anderson hits both FTs.
Holiday starts the second quarter with a three ball off the pass from Jackson, and that makes five threes for Denver.
We are at the end of the first quarter. The T'Wolves lead 28-26 after a low scoring, tight first quarter.
Edwards has 6 to lead the T'Wolves while Jokic has 11 and 5 rebounds already.
Anderson gets into the lane and floats it up and in.
Jokic breaks through a double team, gets the lay up and the foul! FT is no good after the foul on Morris.
Extra pass to the corner for Morris and he drills the thee ball off the dish from Anderson.
Reid drops a floater in the lane over KCP.
KCP puts it on the deck and finger rolls it home from the right side.
Edwards comes out of the timeout and gets the the rack for a lay up.
MPJ pulls up in transition after Jokic hit him with a long pass and the elbow jumper falls.
Timeout Nuggets with 2:30 to go in the 1st quarter.
Jokic follows up the miss from Jackson and he tips it in.
Edwards snakes to the iron and double clutches for the lay up.
Morris drills a three ball from the wing against his old team.
Jokic strokes a three ball after Gobert stepped off him to get around a screen.
Jokic misses his FT after the timeout break.
Jokic gets his lay up to go over Gobert on the other end and gets the foul!
Timeout with 5:31 to go in the first quarter. Jokic at the line after the break.
Gobert gets the pass in the paint and backs his way in for a lay up over Jokic.
Conley off to a quick start. He's got five early points after a three ball from the top of the key.
MPJ gets to the elbow and Jokic hits him for the catch and shoot mid range.
Edwards hits the mid range jumper to open his account.
Gordon slings it across the arc to MPJ who steps into a three ball and strokes it from the wing.
Jokic on the board with a little jump hook in the lane.
Jokic had his pocket picked by Reid who soars to the iron for the steal and slam.
McDaniels drills a three ball from the top fo the key and we are off to a quick start on both sides.
KCP in the corner and he drills the three after air balling his first.
Murray in the corner and he drops it off the Gordon kickout.
Conley down the left side and hits the off balanced lay up off the glass.
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM BALL ARENA!!!
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Things in the West are tight, very tight. And that goes from the top to the bottom. While we let the teams at the bottom of the postseason picture, out Andy Restrepo explains the tie break between these two teams tonight.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have held on to their top spot in the West for most of the second half of the season. They have done so without Karl-Anthony Towns since early May, but there may be good news on the horizon.
What’s left:
Looking at the top three teams fighting for the one seed in the West, there is no doubt that every game is going to be a must win. Whoever walks out of tonight still standing will have one foot in the playoffs with the top spot, but they would most likely have to win out to avoid any late minute surprises. Here are the schedules for each of the three candidates to win the West.
T’Wolves: @ Nuggets, vs. Hawks and vs. Suns
Nuggets: vs. Timberwolves, @ Spurs, @ Grizzlies
Thunder: vs. Spurs, vs. Milwaukee, vs. Dallas
It's crowded up top
Taking a look at the Western Conference Standings, we see the Timeberwolves and the Nuggets locking horns at the top of the table. Oklahoma City is sitting a game back, and could still make a run for the one seed, but it is most likely going to come down to Denver and Minnesota’s game tonight from the Mile High City. The T’Wolves are above the Nuggets coming into tonight conidering Minnesota holds the 2-1 tiebreak over the Nuggets which means if they win tonight they would have to lose their last two games for the Nuggets to get the one seed.
Rocky Mountain advantage
Nikola Jokic is and has been everything for the Denver Nuggets. Jamal Murray gave the Nuggets a scare a few weeks ago when he twisted his ankle late in the fourth quarter of a win against the Knicks. Jokic did what he always does in their PGs seven game absence. He put his team on his back and carried them until their star returned just a few games ago. Obviously health is the main concern going into the playoffs, but getting a one seed is essential in a Western Conference that has been so competitive all season. Last year They went 10-1 in the playoffs at Ball Arena, and if they can lock up the one seed tonight, they know how huge that could be in their run for back-to-back championships.
On ANoTher level
Anthony Edwards has been earning his rightful place in the MVP conversation all season. Since Karl-Anthony Towns went down, it has been all on ANTMan’s shoulders to carry this team and he has risen to the occasion. He may not win the MVP considering SGA from OKC, and Nikola Jokic in Denver and Luka Donicic in Dallas, but the fact that he went from a good player to one of the leagues best from last season to this season has been remarkable. The T’Wolves are battling for first place in the West before of Edwards, and tonight he has a chance to outshine a two time NBA MVP and the reigning Finals MVP underneath Jokic’s own roof.
Nuggets last game
The Nuggets had Jamal Murray in the starting five for the second straight game and dropped the Jazz to give Utah their 13th straight loss. Both Murray and Nikola Jokic set the tone early on as Denver went wire to wire in a must win game from Salt Lake City. After winning the first quarter 34-17, the Nuggets would allow the Jazz back in the game late in the third. The lead closed to 3, but Jokic and Murray came back on the floor to start the fourth quarter and capped off matching 28 points performances to set up tonight’s must win match against the team that they are currently tied for first with in the West.
Timberwolves last game
The T’Wolves welcomes Washington to Minnesota last night for the first game of a back-to-back series. Anthony Edwards and his teammates knew they would have to win that game to set up tonight’s mouthwatering matchup from Denver, and ANT Man didn’t disappoint. He dropped a career right 51 points, with 50 Cent in the crowd, as his team got a massive win despite a sup par showing against the Wizards. Washington went up as many as 20 points in the first points, scoring 44 points in the opening 12 minutes. It took the T’Wolves almost two quarters to take the lead and once they did, right before the fourth quarter, they did’t give it back. Edwards led a 12-0 run in the fourth that secured the win for the T’Wolves, and a career high in a huge game.
We are live from Mile High
Hello everyone and welcome to Ball Arena where the Denver Nuggets know they have a chance to wrap up their second straight one seed in the West, but they will need to win out to secure their place at the top of the conference table. They have been the favorites to be in this position all year, but no one counted on the new kids on the block to be putting up this much of a fight, especially without Karl-Anthony Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves are finally relevant in the NBA after decades of disappointment, and tonight they and can make a huge statement by taking pole position in the race for the one seed. All eyes are on Denver tonight as we get a potential preview to the Western Conference Finals.
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets live
The top spot in the Western Conference is up for grabs tonight from Denver, and tonight’s game should decide who gets home court throughout the playoffs. It’s the defending champion Denver Nuggets taking on the up and coming Minnesota Timberwolves in a must win game tonight from Ball Arena. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, scores and highlights of tonight’s heavyweight matchup from the Mile High City.