On Saturday at Ball Arena, Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a Game 1 victory over the Denver Nuggets, the reigning champions.
53 points from Edwards helped the team win 106-99. He currently has three 40-point performances in his 16 career postseason games. In the franchise’s history, there have been two further combined games of this kind (both by Sam Cassell in 2004).
After scoring 40 points in Game 4 of the first-round sweep against the Phoenix Suns, Edwards records his second consecutive 40-point playoff performance, making him the second-youngest player in NBA history at 22 years and 273 days. The only player to do so at a lower age was Kobe Bryant (22 years, 269 days in 2001). Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers won the second of three consecutive titles during that postseason run.
Anthony Edwards. CLUTCH 💰 pic.twitter.com/lTvLiqGxJz
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 5, 2024
Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99
Series: Minnesota leads 1-0
Game 2: Monday in Denver
Edwards’ Jordanesque performance
In a series that also featured Kevin Durant, Edwards was the standout player. In a series with Nikola Jokić, he couldn’t be the best player, can he? CAN he?
He was in the first game. With 43 points and several shots reminiscent of LeBron James in the closing minutes, Edwards gave the Timberwolves a 1-0 lead over the reigning champions and the likely MVP. To cap off an incredible performance, he also pulled down seven rebounds and sealed the victory with a coast-to-coast drive to the basket in the final seconds.
Strength in numbers was thought to be the Timberwolves’ best opportunity to win this series. They had additional assistance from Karl-Anthony Towns (20 points) and Naz Reid (16 points), 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Edwards, though, drove the victory. The Nuggets had no response for him as he made 17 of his 29 shots. The Timberwolves are in excellent condition if he ends up being THIS series’ best player.
Nuggets need a more balanced scoresheet
Over the past five years, it has been nearly hard to make Jokić and Jamal Murray look mortal.
But on Saturday night, the Timberwolves did just that. It’s not like Jamal Murray and Jokić were rendered ineffective by Minnesota. They’ve both experienced stressful shooting nights in the past that had comparable consequences. It’s because Minnesota lessened their total influence. Both had trouble finishing plays in the last moments. At different times during Game 1, both attempted, but were unable, to win. Minnesota refused to let them put on the superhero cape that they have so frequently been able to wear.
The Nuggets need to be more evenly distributed in Game 2 on Monday. Murray, Jokić, and Michael Porter Jr. scored 69 points apiece. The remaining Nuggets scored thirty points apiece. That kind of lopsided offensive isn’t going to win games most nights at this level of basketball. When everyone gets involved, Denver is at its finest. Jokić is most effective when he involves everyone. On Saturday night, he scored 32 points, dished out nine assists, and pulled down eight rebounds. He shot 11 of 25 from the field, where he is often more effective, but he also committed seven turnovers.
The Nuggets can force a 1-1 series tie witih a victory Monday, and then would have to get at least one in Minneapolis to take home court back in the series. — Tony Jones, NBA staff writer
Sunday’s playoff schedule:
- Magic at Cavs: 1 p.m. ET, ABC (Series tied 3-3)
Required reading
- Familiarity between Timberwolves and Nuggets could breed the NBA’s next great rivalry
- NBA semifinals preview: Could Wolves-Nuggets be a classic?
- Friday’s NBA playoffs takeaways: Mavericks knock out Clippers; Magic force Game 7