Anthony Edwards seems unstoppable in opener, Jamal Murray may very well be a difficulty and Minnesota is excessive on confidence.
Shaun Powell
Anthony Edwards carries the Timberwolves in Sport 1 with a playoff career-high 43 factors.
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There was a crew that confirmed starvation from the opening tip, fought again after getting counterpunched, took management down the stretch and completed the job.
And that crew wasn\u2019t the defending NBA champions.
As a substitute, what the Timberwolves confirmed within the opening sport of the Western Conference semifinals<\/a> is that this: They\u2019re not afraid of the second, the venue and particularly the opponent.
Anthony Edwards and the Wolves seized management of the sequence with a agency 106-99 victory<\/a>, placing the Nuggets able that’s new to them since final post-season.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from Sport 1 through which Minnesota snatched homecourt benefit from Denver:
1. Nuggets want a solution for Ant<\/span><\/strong>
Contained in the NBA: Dirk Nowitzki thinks Anthony Edwards is 'the whole bundle'
This sequence, from the outset, was primarily about Nikola Jokic and devising a method to gradual the massive man as a result of \u2026 nicely, as a result of he\u2019s a two-time Kia MVP and reigning Finals MVP.
However perhaps the script has flipped to Edwards and if the Nuggets are able to limiting him.
He dominated the primary half by scoring 25 of his crew\u2019s 40 factors, after which, after a sluggish third quarter, was a problem<\/a> for Denver. After getting 43 factors, Edwards now has the second-most 35-point playoff video games in NBA historical past earlier than turning 23, his six trailing Luka Doncic\u2019s seven.
However Denver, one sport into this sequence, is maybe left scrambling for a method for Edwards, very like the Suns within the first spherical. He’s too bodily and robust for his or her smallish defenders (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) and too fast-twitch for his or her taller ones (Michael Porter Jr. and anybody else).
Make no mistake<\/strong> \u2014 Edwards is attempting to hike his basketball cred in opposition to one other legendary participant. First it was Kevin Durant; Edwards chopped up the Suns ahead (whom he respects) and instructed him about it.
This time it\u2019s Jokic, and whereas the Nuggets\u2019 middle isn\u2019t guarding Edwards 1-on-1, he’s sharing the court docket with him.
\u201cGoing in opposition to the very best participant on this planet is at all times enjoyable,\u201d he stated. \u201cGoing in opposition to the very best crew is at all times enjoyable. I misplaced to those guys final yr and so they\u2019re the defending champs \u2026 it\u2019s going to be a struggle.\u201d
Nicely, if that’s the case, Edwards scored a first-game TKO.
2. Naz was good<\/strong><\/span>
As soon as once more you noticed why Naz Reid gained this yr\u2019s Kia Sixth Man Award<\/a>. As soon as once more he took over for Karl-Anthony Cities \u2014 who noticed for a beneficiant stretch within the fourth quarter with foul hassle \u2014 and the Wolves didn\u2019t miss a beat.
Reid scored 14 factors within the quarter, essential for a crew that isn\u2019t terribly deep offensively. To place this in perspective, Reid averaged slightly below 10 factors per sport within the first-round sweep of the Suns.
However he’s greater than succesful, an athletic massive man who can shoot from deep, brings an improved mid-range shot and isn\u2019t bashful about difficult gamers on the rim.
Counter to league orthodoxy, the Timberwolves roll out '3 respectable bigs' in Karl-Anthony Cities, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid.
When Cities missed almost three weeks late within the season, Reid stepped in and never solely performed nicely, however stored the Wolves within the hunt for the highest seed within the West. On this sequence, he\u2019s bringing the very best off-the-bench credentials, giving the Wolves a determined edge.
\u201cHe stayed affected person,\u201d Edwards stated. \u201cThere\u2019s quite a lot of progress in Naz. He didn\u2019t let nothing hassle him. The sport will come to you in the event you\u2019re affected person.\u201d
3. Nuggets have a Murray fear<\/strong><\/span>
Is Jamal Murray absolutely good to go? Not within the availability sense \u2014 he suited up for Sport 1 \u2014 however by way of his well being and physique?
He didn\u2019t follow after the first-round sequence with the Lakers, the place he strained a calf muscle. And he didn\u2019t rating within the first half Saturday (first time in his playoff profession), elevating concern about his motor and vitality not just for this sport, however for the remainder of this sequence.
Keep in mind \u2014 there\u2019s just one off-day between Video games 1 and a couple of. He\u2019ll get a stretch of consolation through the three off-days between 2 and three. But when he struggles once more, the Nuggets may discover themselves in an 0-2 gap by then, with two video games in Minneapolis.
That may be unlucky<\/strong> for them and Murray. The excellent news is he performed a lot better within the second half, the place he was extra lively, scoring 17 factors. Nonetheless, he should burn loads of vitality on the defensive finish as nicely, attempting to maintain up with a fast guard like Conley, who had 14 factors and 10 assists.
\u201cWe needed to be as bodily as we might with him, realizing we might throw three guys at him,\u201d stated Wolves assistant coach Micah Nori, who shared the bench duties with injured head coach Chris Finch. \u201cAttempt to put on him down.\u201d
4. Joker didn’t harm Wolves<\/strong><\/span>
Contained in the NBA: How Timberwolves protection 'sped up' Nikola Jokic
Jokic was a priority however not an issue on this sport. He impacted solely a handful of possessions and stretches however didn\u2019t dominate the sport, definitely to not the extent of Edwards.
That\u2019s a victory in and of itself for the Wolves, who can throw extra measurement at Jokic than most groups, and one sport into the sequence, it labored to a level.
Minnesota began Cities on Jokic, who promptly acquired Cities into foul hassle. No drawback for the Wolves \u2014 there was additionally Rudy Gobert and Reid, giving Jokic a different-looking defender, forcing the two-time MVP to regulate.
Jokic was requested<\/strong> how he may deal with these totally different seems the remainder of this sequence.
\u201cTo have a reproduction clone of myself,\u201d he stated.
Even higher for the Wolves, Jokic rang up solely 9 assists, that means he didn\u2019t put as many teammates of their standard place to do injury. That was Minnesota\u2019s technique from the beginning \u2014 let Joker get his factors, however not massive factors and never massive assists.
And fddfdfJokic wasn\u2019t very environment friendly when he did shoot, connecting on simply 11-for-29 makes an attempt.
5. Wolves bringing confidence<\/strong><\/span>
It\u2019s not clever to make an excessive amount of out of 1 sport. A sequence can shift in a rush; occurs on a regular basis.
This a lot is evident, although \u2014 the Wolves are up for the problem. They aren\u2019t intimidated, by Jokic or regardless of the Nuggets did a yr in the past, after they beat the Wolves within the playoffs on the way in which to the championship.
It\u2019s totally different now \u2014 Edwards, the Wolves\u2019 dedication to protection, Minnesota\u2019s bench (in contrast the Nuggets\u2019 weakened bench), all that.
This crew performed on the highway, handled Cities\u2019 foul hassle, noticed Conley and Reid step up within the second half, Edwards assume pole place as probably the most harmful participant and a scorching effectivity price within the final two quarters.
\u201cI do know 71% within the second half is unacceptable,\u201d stated Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
Minnesota isn\u2019t seemingly to do this once more. However the Wolves simply let the Nuggets know they\u2019re in for a struggle.
***
Shaun Powell has coated the NBA for greater than 25 years. You possibly can e-mail him\u00a0<\/em>here<\/a>, discover\u00a0his archive here<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and comply with him on\u00a0<\/em>X<\/a><\/em>.<\/em>
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