The Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 20-point deficit to stun the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, securing a berth in the Conference Finals.
The NBA's final four teams have been determined after the second Game 7 on Sunday, which saw the Minnesota Timberwolves pull off a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Denver Nuggets, 98-90.
Unlike the league's earlier Game 7, when the Indiana Pacers made history with their fantastic shooting in a dominant win over the New York Knicks, this one was a hard-fought battle in which Minnesota didn't take control until late in the fourth quarter.
The Nuggets, playing at home with the support of their crowd, had the momentum early on. They built a commanding 20-point lead, 58-38, early in the third quarter. However, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards finally found his rhythm and led a furious comeback.
The Timberwolves won the third quarter, 28-14, and carried that momentum into the fourth. They went on a 30-point swing, capped by an Edwards three-pointer that made it 92-82 with 3:07 remaining.
Nuggets fans at Ball Arena roared in support of their team, but the Timberwolves' hustle and determination proved to be too much.
Nikola Jokic, who played 42 minutes despite being clearly fatigued, made his final bucket with 1:02 left to cut the T-Wolves' lead to five points. There was still a glimmer of hope for Denver, but Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota's co-leading scorer, sealed the victory with a putback dunk on a missed layup by Mike Conley.
Towns finished with an impressive stat line of 23 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, two assists, and one block. Teammate Jaden McDaniels also had a stellar performance, pouring in 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including three three-pointers, and grabbing six rebounds.
Edwards, who has been Minnesota's go-to scorer throughout the playoffs, had an uncharacteristically quiet day with the rock in his hand. He finished with 16 points on 6-of-24 shooting, including 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. However, his hustle and energy were evident, as he contributed eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
The Timberwolves also received valuable contributions from NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who scored 11 points and had four rebounds, including a couple of clutch baskets in the fourth quarter.
For the Nuggets, who failed to reach the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year, shooting from beyond the arc was a major issue. They finished the game with a dismal 24.2% from three-point range. Jokic, who went 2-of-10 from deep, ended with 34 points and 19 rebounds.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets in scoring with 35 points but struggled from three, hitting only four of his 12 attempts. He went 13-of-27 from the field overall, with three rebounds and three assists.
The Timberwolves will now play host to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, which begins on Wednesday. The winner of that series will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
