The Denver Nuggets have dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves through three games.
The Nuggets took down the Timberwolves, 120-111, on Friday to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, so the odds certainly favor Denver coming out on top in the first-round series.
"It only kind of strengthens the confidence that we already have," said Michael Malone about the win. "We know the team that we are. We know what we're capable of. And we know what our goals are. And I was proud because I knew that we were going to face a very desperate team in Minnesota. And there were times we didn't play like ourselves tonight. A little rattled. But I thought that fourth quarter was just outstanding."
This is just the second time that the Nuggets have ever gone up 3-0 in a playoff series before. To do so, they’ve lost just one quarter out of twelve. They’ve also outshot the Timberwolves from the three-point line and outscored them in the painted area in all three games.
Again, it’s been domination.
Michael Porter Jr. paced the Nuggets in scoring with 25 points off some truly nifty finishes inside the painted area to go with 9 rebounds.
"I could always do it. I mean, dating back to high school, that was my go-to," said Porter Jr. about his rim finishing. "Like, I didn't really set up from three as much. My first thought was to get to the basket. But I think everything I've been through, I think it's just, maybe not reluctant, but I just feel like as time goes on and I get more and more comfortable with what I can do out there and things like that and just keep getting healthier and healthier, I just wanna do it more."
Nikola Jokić recorded his seventh playoff triple-double courtesy of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
The Nuggets had six players finish in double figures. All eight players that received more than a minute of playing time scored at least 8 points. As such, Denver’s bench unit outscored the Wolves' reserves 29-10, a surprise given how role players tend to perform better on their home floor. Alas, that did not happen in Minnesota on Friday.
"Christian (Bruan), he played really well. Especially in the fourth quarter. He had six in the painted area. Bruce went by KAT a couple of times," said Nikola Jokić about Denver's reserves. "I think everyone played really well."
It was a battle between the two-pointer and the three-pointer in the first quarter. Minnesota made 40 percent of their threes but 42.9 percent of their two-pointers. Denver, on the other hand, made just 25 percent of their threes but a whopping 61.1 percent of their twos. Much of that can be attributed to Jokić’s dominant start, who attacked Gobert repeatedly on drives to the rim for a quarter-high 11 points. Both teams finished tied at 28 apiece.
Karl-Anthony Towns started to get going with just his fourth made three-pointer of the series and a two-point bucket. However, the Nuggets responded with a 9-0 run that was capped off when Bruce Brown picked off an errant pass from Towns. Denver hung onto a 9-point lead that was sustained for most of the quarter by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hitting two-straight threes, one off an offensive rebound and the other by curling off a Jokić handoff. Jamal Murray also warmed up a bit via a pair of post-ups. However, Denver let off the gas a little bit, turning it over three times at the end of the quarter. Denver finished the half ahead 61-55.
Porter Jr. started the third quarter with a series of tough finishes inside the painted area for a team-high 17 points. Brown pitched in with a floater, took Towns off the dribble for a layup, and then hit another floater to reach 12 points, a high for either team’s bench. Denver’s advantage shrunk down to five points when Gobert surprisingly hit a fadeaway jumper and Anthony Edwards nailed a pull-up three. That run was quieted when Murray splashed a midrange shot and Jeff Green canned corner three. Denver entered the fourth quarter up 94-88.
Rookie Christian Braun got on the floor in the fourth quarter and made an immediate impact. Braun cut along the baseline and made a gorgeous pass to Michael Porter Jr. for a corner three. He then finished two huge transition layups through contact. The fourth quarter then became a foul-fest, as both teams went to the free-throw line a combined five times. Denver showed its continuity late when Jokić tossed a gorgeous pass over the top of the defense for a reverse dunk from Aaron Gordon. Then, he and Murray entangled for a pick-and-roll in the final two minutes that produced a floater from Jokić. That pretty much sealed the game and likely the series.
Milestone watch
- Nikola Jokić became just the seventh player ever to record a playoff triple-double with zero free-throw attempts.
- Denver’s 57.1 percent shooting at the Target Center was the highest field goal percentage the team has ever recorded on the road in the postseason in franchise history.
- The Nuggets have shot 50 percent or better in 9 of the 12 quarters against Minnesota thus far.
- Michael Porter Jr. passed J.R. Smith for 14th place on the Nuggets’ all-time points list in the postseason with 447. He also passed Alex English in playoff defensive rebounds for 7th place on the Nuggets’ leaderboard with 170. Oh, and his 27th playoff steal helped him pass Paul Millsap for 18th place on Denver’s steals leaderboard, as well.
- Jamal Murray tied Hedo Turkoglu, Carmelo Anthony, and Anfernee Hardaway for 97th place on the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers leaderboard with 101.