Minnesota Timberwolves Take Commanding 2-0 Lead Over Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves were short-handed heading into Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets. Starting center Rudy Gobert was not with the team, as he was away awaiting the birth of his first child.

Given how impactful Gobert is for the team, and the added motivation the Nuggets would presumably have after losing Game 1, many people anticipated them to have a strong performance. Unfortunately for Denver backers, that is not how things unfolded.

Even without Gobert in the lineup, the Minnesota Timberwolves stifled the Nuggets in Game 2. They came away with a dominant 106-80 victory, continuing to show their first-round performance against the Phoenix Suns was not a fluke.

“We’ve had some really, really good defensive efforts this year, but that has to be right up there with the best of them,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “On the ball, off the ball, the physicality, the execution of the game plan. … Just really locked in on defense.”

The game was over by halftime, as the Timberwolves held a 61-35 lead. That was the largest halftime deficit at home in an NBA Playoff game in Nuggets franchise history, as they had no counters to the No. 1 defense in the league.

As a team, Denver shot 34.9 percent from the field. Justin Holiday, who scored 13 points off the bench, and Aaron Gordon, who poured in a team-high 20, were the only players who shot above 50 percent in the game.

It was another putrid shooting night for Jamal Murray, who is longing for matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers again. He was 3-of-18 from the field as the injury he is working through seems to be hampering him greatly offensively. He had more turnovers, four, than baskets made.

Even two-time, and likely soon-to-be three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic couldn’t find a rhythm. Without Gobert to match up against him, Jokic seemingly had an advantage but Karl-Anthony Towns more than held his own.

Jokic scored 16 points on 5-of-13 from the field with 16 rebounds and eight assists. Towns had another big game for the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 27 points with 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks.

Tying him for the team lead in points with Anthony Edwards, who was masterful again. He added seven assists, two rebounds and two steals with several highlight-worthy plays going viral on social media.

Heading back home for Games 3 and 4, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in a great spot. The hard part has been completed, as homecourt advantage is theirs and they have the defending NBA Champions on the ropes. All they need to do is protect homecourt twice and they will advance to the Western Conference Finals.