Anthony Edwards, Wolves Stun NBA Fans with 20-Point Rally to Top Jokić, Nuggets in G7
May 20, 2024
DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves goes to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round 2 Game 7 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 19, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be on their way to a disappointing end to their season when they fell behind by 20 points in the second half of Sunday's Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets.
However, the Timberwolves mounted a furious comeback to earn a 98-90 win that sent the defending NBA champions home in surprising fashion. It's Minnesota's first trip to the conference finals since 2004.
The Nuggets held a 58-38 lead early in the third quarter before things fell apart. The Timberwolves closed the quarter on a 28-9 run and didn't let up, leading by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter and outscoring the Nuggets 60-37 in the second half.
Minnesota used a collective effort to take down Denver, as six players scored in double figures. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels also had 23 points.
Star guard Anthony Edwards posted 16 points while shooting just 6-of-24 from the field, but he made some key shots down the stretch. Rudy Gobert had 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and Naz Reid had 11 points off the bench while playing outstanding defense. Mike Conley posted 10 points.
The defensive effort by the Timberwolves was also impressive, as fans in Ball Arena were left silent while the Nuggets struggled to regain control of the game. Jamal Murray had a game-high 35 points and NBA MVP Nikola Jokić stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.
However, no other player on the team scored more than seven points. Denver fell to 0-12 in the regular season and playoffs when being held to fewer than 100 points.
Players, fans and pundits on social media were blown away by the Timberwolves' comeback in Sunday's Game 7:
The Timberwolves erased a TWENTY-POINT 2nd half deficit in Game 7 to advance to their first Western Conference Finals since 2004!
This 20-point comeback is the LARGEST in Game 7 history in the play-by-play era (1997-1998). pic.twitter.com/kfOYTs5qt2
KAT deserves a TON of credit for the defense he is playing on the Joker. He isn’t known for his defense but he has taken the challenge the last two games and is performing admirably.
The Timberwolves were the No. 1 defensive team in the league this season, and they showed their prowess in Sunday's contest. They will need every bit of that if they hope to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Minnesota will host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night.
The Denver Nuggets, it turns out, will not be defending their NBA title. A second-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves and their skyrocketing…
An unceremonious second-round exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves has ended the Denver Nuggets' pursuit of a repeat NBA title. Nikola Jokic won a third…
Nuggets HC: Jamal Murray Feels 'Great' amid Elbow Injury Ahead of Game 7 vs. Wolves
May 18, 2024
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 16: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 2 Game 6 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 16, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone provided a positive update on the health of star guard Jamal Murray on Saturday ahead of Sunday's Game 7 clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
According to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, Malone said Murray "feels great" after suffering an elbow injury during Denver's 115-70 blowout loss in Game 6.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 18, 2024
Murray hurt his elbow when he ran into a screen set by Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert early in the game. He wasn't himself the rest of the way, going just 4-of-18 from the field for 10 points.
Per Youngmisuk, Murray stayed after practice and knocked down several three-point shots in a row. Malone noted that Murray looked "hungry," adding: "So hopefully that carries over tomorrow. I hope he doesn't eat until tomorrow until 6 p.m."
While three-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokić is the Nuggets' top player, Murray is nearly as important.
During Denver's run to a championship last season, the 27-year-old guard out of Kentucky averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 20 playoff games.
He appeared in 59 regular-season games in 2023-24, averaging a career-high 21.2 points and 6.5 assists to go along with 2.5 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal, and in 11 playoff games this season, Murray is averaging 19.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds.
Minnesota's tough defense has befuddled Murray and the Nuggets as a whole at times, which is largely why the Timberwolves have a chance to knock off the defending NBA champs.
Just one year ago, the Nuggets knocked the T'Wolves out in the first round of the playoffs in just five games, but Minnesota is a different team now.
The continued development of superstar guard Anthony Edwards is a big reason why, as is the synergy between starting bigs Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
If the 2023 playoff version of Murray comes to play on Sunday, though, even a vastly improved Timberwolves team may not be able to take out the reigning champions.
Nuggets' Jamal Murray Blames Struggles on Elbow Injury, Not Anthony Edwards' Defense
May 17, 2024
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 16: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 2 Game 6 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 16, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said it wasn't Anthony Edwards' defense that sealed the Nuggets' blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Thursday night's Game 6.
"It was less about [Edwards], it was more about my elbow at that point," Murray told reporters after the game. "Even some passes, my arm... it was more offensively for him. It wasn't him guarding me. He was scoring on the other end, and scoring at a great rate."
Murray was held to 10 points on 4-of-18 shooting while being regularly matched up with Edwards in the 115-70 loss.
Edwards meanwhile scored a game-high 27 points to help the Timberwolves tie the Western Conference semifinals at 3-3.
Murray wasn't the only Denver player struggling to shoot. The Wolves overall shot 46.5 percent from the field, while the Nuggets were limited to 30.2 percent team shooting.
"Everybody on their team just kind of brought their game today, and we weren't able to defend them, and keep them out of our paint or get them off the line," Murray said.
Murray said he hurt his elbow on a screen, and that the injury then bothered him throughout the game.
"I put some numbing cream on it, so I didn't have to feel it every time I extended," Murray said. "But like I said, man, everybody gets hurt. Ant just got hurt, he came to play. It was just the fact that I was shooting the ball, and that's what I do most, so. I was never really in to get into my rhythm again, and my team obviously needed me to tonight, and I didn't.
"It's disappointing. I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to give them the right production that I know I can."
When asked if he believed the injury would improve before Game 7, Murray said, "I mean, I hope."
This isn't the first time this postseason that the Nuggets have had to deal with Murray's uncertain availability. He has been routinely been listed as "questionable" on Denver's injury report due to a calf strain suffered in Game 4 of the Nuggets' first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Denver will hope Murray is able to bounce back with a stronger shooting performance as the Nuggets head home for Sunday's Game 7 with a ticket to the conference finals on the line.
Nuggets' Nikola Jokić, 361 Degrees Reveal Photos of 'SpongeBob' Sneaker Collection
May 16, 2024
DENVER, CO - MAY 14: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets prepares to shoot a free throw against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 2 Game 5 of the of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Three-time NBA MVP and Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokić has four SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired shoes coming out soon as part of his affiliation with 361 Degrees.
ESPN's Nick DePaula posted photos of the upcoming collection, which will feature sneakers designed off the looks of four of the popular show's main characters in SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs:
Back in December, 361 Degrees announced that Jokić had signed a signature shoe deal with the Chinese athletic brand, making him the global brand ambassador.
Jokić has been a dominant force over the past four years, and he has put himself in the conversation as one of the greatest players in NBA history during that time.
The Serbian star has won the NBA MVP Award in three of the past four seasons, and last season he won the NBA Finals MVP Award by virtue of leading the Nuggets to their first NBA championship.
This season, the 6'11" big man averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game, and he has been even better in 10 playoff contests, averaging 28.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.5 assists.
The Nuggets hold a 3-2 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their second-round playoff series, and they will have a chance to eliminate the T-Wolves in Game 6 on Thursday night.
Jokić is such a massive star at this point that any merchandise he is involved with stands to be highly sought after, but adding the SpongeBob license into the mix should make his signature shoes even more desirable.
SpongeBob SquarePants is viewed by many as the greatest cartoon of all time, and it has enjoyed immense success since its debut on Nickelodeon in 1999.
The four-time Emmy Award-winning show is still going strong, as is Jokić, who is looking to lead his team to back-to-back titles.
The Nikola Jokić Era Is Burying Opponents in NBA History
May 15, 2024
Nikola Jokić
DENVER — We are living through the NBA's Nikola Jokić era.
If that wasn't clear already, it certainly is after the Denver Nuggets' last three games against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After dropping two at home to open the series, Jokić and his Nuggets have regained control with three straight victories (including two on the road). And in Wednesday's 112-97 win, Jokić brought a feeling of inevitability we've seen from previous era headliners.
On the night he received his third MVP award in the last four years, Jokić had 40 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, two steals, one block and no turnovers. He was a game-high plus-21 in the 15-point win and shot 15-of-22 from the field.
"I'm not even entirely sure what I just watched," Aaron Gordon said after the win.
Well, AG, that may be because we've literally never seen a performance like that before.
According to OptaSTATS, Jokić "is the first NBA player to score or assist on 70+ points in a playoff game without committing a turnover (since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78)."
In a career that's increasingly full of absurd individual performances, this one feels unique.
Beyond the numbers, Jokić did much of tonight's damage against Rudy Gobert, who received his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award just last week.
His footwork in the post was immaculate. Pivots, fakes, up-and-unders, floaters, a high-arching righty hook off the top of the glass while Gobert was blanketing him. The entire repertoire was on display.
And every time Jokić found himself one-on-one with one of the best defenders of this generation, he looked intent on attacking.
Actually, that probably undersells it. On some possessions, it almost looked like he wanted to embarrass the DPOY. He often did.
But despite the online world's penchant for digitally dunking on Gobert, this performance was far more about Jokić than the Stifle Tower he repeatedly cleared.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch called it an "MVP, best-player-in-the-world performance."
And it certainly was, but Gobert is far from the first foe Jokić has vanquished in the playoffs.
Last postseason:
He averaged 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists against Gobert in the first round.
He outdueled Kevin Durant and Devin Booker with 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the second round.
He beat self-proclaimed "best defensive player in the league" Anthony Davis with 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 2.0 threes, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in the conference finals.
And he averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists against Bam Adebayo in the NBA Finals.
That's three of the game's best defensive bigs in one playoff run, with a domination of future Hall of Famer KD thrown in for good measure.
In some alternate universe, perhaps one in which Jokić gave up basketball for horse racing for good, Gobert might have a ring. KD or AD and LeBron James might have one more. The Miami Heat might've actually been able to cap off their Cinderella run from the play-in tournament to the Finals with a championship.
But in this timeline, the one in which Jokić stuck with basketball, was eventually drafted in the second round by the Nuggets and developed into one of the greatest players of all time, all of the above is off the table (at least for now).
In a postseason in which Anthony Edwards has drawn unironic comparisons to Michael Jordan, it may be Jokić whose dominance looks a bit more like the GOAT's.
Jordan similarly impacted the legacies of his contemporaries. Outside Jordan's era, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing might've won championships.
This series between the Nuggets and T-Wolves isn't over, but it's starting to feel like Gobert could be in for a similar fate.
He's an all-time great, particularly on the defensive end, but he just happens to play at the same time as Jokić, who has owned this decade in a way few have seized any decade in league history.
Again, Minnesota could still win back-to-back games and advance. Denver certainly can't look past the Oklahoma City Thunder or Dallas Mavericks. Either would be a worthy opponent in the conference finals. And of course, the statistical juggernaut Boston Celtics will likely be waiting in the NBA Finals.
The path between this point and a second straight championship is long, bumpy and might even have another detour or two like the first two games of this second-round series against Minnesota.
But this series was billed by many as the "real" Finals for a reason. The Timberwolves looked like a legitimate title threat during their sweep of the Phoenix Suns and the first two games against Denver.
Their length and athleticism, in concert with their ferocity on the defensive end, made them terrifying.
But this Nuggets team is special. And it's led by a special, era-headlining player in Jokić. He's downloaded, processed and then countered everything plenty of previous opponents have thrown at him.
These three wins in a row suggest the same thing is happening with Minnesota.
And if Denver beats the Wolves and Jokić solves whatever riddles the two following rounds throw at him, prepare yourself for some lofty conversations on how his era stacks up against the likes of the ones LeBron and MJ dominated.
Anthony Edwards Praises Nuggets' Nikola Jokić for G5 vs. Wolves: 'He Was That Guy'
May 15, 2024
DENVER, CO - MARCH 29: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves greets Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets after the game on March 29, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
Minnesota Timberwolves superstar guard Anthony Edwards was seemingly in awe of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić on Tuesday night after Jokić helped the Nuggets take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Edwards commended Jokić for helping Denver go from 2-0 down in the series to within one game of advancing to the Western Conference Finals:
Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards on Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic’s Game 5: “I just laugh. That’s all I can do. I can’t be mad. … He’s the MVP. He’s the best player in the NBA. He showed it the last three games. … He was special tonight. I have to give him his flowers. He was that guy.” pic.twitter.com/C0x3kylQS2
"I just laugh. That's all I can do. I mean, I can't be mad. He's good, man. I think I said that after Game 1 when we won and Game 2. Like, he's the MVP. He's the best player in the NBA. He showed it the last three games, three games in a row…He was special tonight. I gotta give him his flowers. ... He was that guy tonight."
Jokić went off for 40 points on 15-of-22 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds and seven assists in Game 5, pushing Edwards and the T-Wolves to the brink of elimination.
The 29-year-old Jokić won his third NBA MVP Award in four years this season, and he showed why he was deserving on Tuesday.
With Jokić leading the way, the reigning NBA champions were highly efficient in all aspects in Game 5, shooting 55.0 percent from the field, 47.4 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Denver also won the rebounding battle 38-33 and had the edge in turnovers with 11 compared to Minnesota's 14.
During the regular season, Jokić averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game and shot 58.3 percent from the floor. That level of production carried over to the playoffs and helped the Nuggets make quick work of the Los Angeles Lakers, beating them in five games in the first round.
The Nuggets seemed shellshocked in their first two games against Minnesota, though, losing 106-99 and 106-80 to fall behind 2-0 in the series.
Minnesota's smothering defense posed a nightmare scenario for the Nuggets, and the Timberwolves even held Jokić in check for the most part.
While he managed to score 32 points in Game 1, Jokić shot just 44.0 percent from the field. Then, in Game 2, he finished with an un-Jokić-like 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting in one of his worst offensive performances in recent memory.
However, that game proved to be a turning point for Jokić, as he has taken over the series in the past three games. Jokić had 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting with 14 rebounds and nine assists in Game 3, and 35 points, seven boards and seven dimes in Game 4 before his explosion in Game 5.
The Nuggets were once reeling and in danger of an earlier-than-expected playoff exit after winning it all last season, but Jokić and Co. have now flipped the script and have the Timberwolves on their heels.
Minnesota is a great team led by Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, and it is heading back home for Game 6 on Thursday. Although the past three games have been deflating, the championship-hungry Timberwolves faithful figure to be firmly behind their team in a must-win scenario.
If the T-Wolves can turn things around and force a decisive Game 7, anything can happen in a winner-take-all situation.
Minnesota will likely need Jokić to play much more like he did Games 1 and 2 than he did in Games 3 through 5 to have a chance because if he turns in a repeat performance of what he did Tuesday, it may be impossible to overcome.
Nikola Jokić Thrills NBA Fans as Nuggets Take Series Lead vs. Anthony Edwards, Wolves
May 15, 2024
DENVER, CO - MAY 14: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 2 Game 5 of the of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nikola Jokić received his MVP on Tuesday and then reminded everyone why he won it.
The Denver Nuggets big man led his team to a 112-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series at Ball Arena. Denver now leads the series 3-2 following its third straight win, which Jokić spearheaded with 40 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and one block.
While it seemed like a one-man show for extended stretches, Aaron Gordon (18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (16 points, five rebounds and four assists) also played well in supporting roles.
Denver's defense also held Anthony Edwards to just 5-of-15 shooting from the field and made him work for his 18 points and nine assists. Karl-Anthony Towns did what he could for a Minnesota team playing without Mike Conley (Achilles) with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, but it wasn't enough to counter Jokić.
And social media recognized it was Jokić who made the difference:
i absolutely LOVE watching the joker play basketball — just a completely unique game — he plays basketball like if a buffalo was really good at ice skating
The task was fairly straightforward for the Nuggets on Tuesday: become the first home team to win a game in this series and maintain their momentum they built from two straight wins with their backs against the wall in Minnesota.
Jokić was up for the task out of the gates.
The three-time MVP controlled the entire first half while staking his side to a six-point lead at intermission even while Jamal Murray struggled. Jokić mixed in a three-pointer, unstoppable moves on the block and perfectly placed passes all while he was seemingly unbothered by the size and physicality of Rudy Gobert and Towns.
It was fair to be concerned from Denver's perspective that it didn't open a bigger lead during Edwards' ice-cold start, especially after the Timberwolves took the lead early in the third quarter.
But Jokić made sure there wasn't much reason for concern.
Jokic shows off the footwork in the post for the finish 👣
He started toying with Gobert and the Timberwolves as he unleashed no-look passes, unreal footwork in the post and complete control of the game as everything ran through him. Gobert may be a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, but Jokić made him look like a traffic cone over and over as the Nuggets opened up a double-digit lead going into the fourth.
Just for good measure, he ended any chance at a Minnesota comeback with a step-back three over the outstretched arm of Gobert in the final minutes. It only added insult to injury for the Timberwolves and further drove home the reality they couldn't stop him.
They will need to figure out a way to at least slow him down if they want to preserve their season when the series returns to Minnesota for Thursday's Game 6.
Photo: Nuggets Celebrate Nikola Jokić's 3rd MVP with Funny Shirt Before Wolves Game
May 15, 2024
DENVER, CO - MAY 14: Peyton Watson (8) of the Denver Nuggets wears a shirt honoring three-time MVP teammate Nikola Jokic (15) before the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena in Denver on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Nikola Jokić has gone from being a second-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft to a three-time MVP.
And if you don't think those humble origins have fueled him, at least a little, perhaps the warmup shirts the Denver Nuggets were wearing ahead of a Game 5 matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves—on the same night Jokić will be presented with his MVP award—might convince you otherwise:
Remember when you laughed at me? Peyton Watson the first of many Nuggets to wear these new shirts for Nikola Jokic’s third MVP pic.twitter.com/5KERgH5xwp
The picture in the shirts referenced both his nickname, The Joker, and also a photo of a young Jokić rocking a Nuggets sweatshirt during his childhood:
Jokić wearing a Denver Nuggets sweater in Serbia 23 years ago 🤯
Jokić is a singular talent, sporting the ability to score at all three levels, pass like an elite point guard and crash the boards with his physical frame, all while rumbling down the court and getting to his spots with an "old man playing pickup" vibe that belies his elite finesse and coordination.
