Anthony Edwards explodes with 43 points as Minnesota Timberwolves stun Denver Nuggets
Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 43 factors and the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated defending champion Denver within the ultimate minutes for a 106-99 victory of their NBA playoff collection opener.
Edwards made 17-of-29 photographs from the ground, 3-of-7 from 3-point vary, and all six free throws for his third profession 40-point playoff recreation.
“My teammates trust me in every position in critical moments in the game. I try to come through for them,” Edwards stated after Minnesota took a 1-0 lead within the best-of-seven Western Conference second spherical collection, which continues on Tuesday morning AEST in Denver.
“It’s tough here.
“The altitude, their team, the crowd. I’m proud of my teammates. They came out and fought super-hard.”
Edwards joins Kobe Bryant because the gamers aged beneath 23 rating 40 factors in back-to-back playoff video games.
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None delivered extra within the clutch than NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who scored the primary 10 Minnesota factors in an 18-7 run to interrupt an 84-84 impasse. Reid scored 14 of his 16 factors within the final quarter.
Anthony and his teammates saved the Nuggets at bay to the end, with “Ant-Man” crediting his time with the 2023 US Basketball World Cup staff with enhancing him this season.
“I put in work this summer,” Edwards continued.
“Shout out to USA team. They got me ready for this season. I appreciate that.”
Karl-Anthony Towns, whose foul hassle late led to Reid coming into the sport, scored 20 factors whereas Mike Conley added 14 factors, all within the second half, plus 10 assists and Rudy Gobert grabbed 13 rebounds.
The Nuggets, who hadn’t trailed in a playoff collection in two years, had been led by 32 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.
But the Serbian centre was pressured right into a game-high seven turnovers and rushed into photographs by an aggressive T-Wolves defensive effort.
Michael Porter Jr. added 20 factors for Denver whereas Jamal Murray had 17, all within the second half after his first scoreless playoff half in 59 post-season contests.
Edwards scored 25 of Minnesota’s 40 first-half factors on 10-of-17 capturing, conserving the T-Wolves inside 44-40 at halftime.
Edwards netted 16 first-quarter factors, 11 of them in a 14-2 Minnesota run to begin the competition.
But the Nuggets answered with a 21-3 spurt that put them forward 25-23 after the primary quarter, through which Jokic and Porter every scored 9 factors.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, who underwent surgical procedure Wednesday to restore a ruptured patellar tendon in his proper knee, was seated a row behind the gamers with the intention to information his membership.
