Preliminary ideas from the Nuggets’ 122-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Recreation 2 of their first-round Western Convention playoff collection:
1. Jamal Murray stays scorching: After a robust efficiency in Recreation 1, Murray continued to point out he isn’t fazed by his 900-plus days hiatus from postseason basketball. Within the first quarter on Wednesday, Murray regarded extra just like the participant we noticed within the Bubble. He was pulling up from the 3-point line whereas aggressively attacking the basket, scoring 14 or his 40 factors within the first. When the Timberwolves made a comeback, Murray’s shot-making stored the Nuggets afloat. Trailing by three factors, he buried a 3-pointer from the highest of the important thing to tie the sport at 85. Seconds later, Murray’s turnaround jumper evened the rating as soon as once more. Within the fourth, the Nuggets turned to Murray to safe the victory — and identical to his days in Orlando, he delivered with 5 straight factors to present Denver 10-point cushion with 3:14 to go.
2. The Nuggets have given KAT all kinds of hassle: One of many greatest takeaways of the primary spherical has been the Nuggets’ defensive sport plan in opposition to Karl-Anthony Cities. The Timberwolves’ star massive man has mixed to attain 21 factors on 8-for-26 taking pictures by way of two video games. In Recreation 1, the Nuggets had the luxurious of watching Cities miss 3-pointer after 3-pointer. In Recreation 2, Denver picked up its defensive depth in opposition to Cities, greeting him with a number of defenders when he was within the paint. He was a non-factor within the first half, scoring two factors on 0-for-4 taking pictures from the ground and 4 turnovers. Though Cities made a pair of 3s within the second half, he was nowhere close to the participant that’s identified for scoring 20-plus factors on a given evening.
3. Disastrous third quarter: The time is now for the Nuggets to say their first championship. However Denver can’t count on to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June in the event that they play how they did within the third quarter on Wednesday. The Nuggets allowed 40 factors over these 12 minutes, letting the Timberwolves flip a 21-point deficit right into a 2-point benefit by the beginning of the fourth. Requested by the TNT sideline reporter going into the ultimate quarter what the Nuggets may do to make things better, Michael Malone was quick: “Play protection.” Amen.
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