Will the Timberwolves' atmosphere advance them to the next round? Or will the Nuggets' experience be the deciding factor in Game 7? (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/Denver Post)
Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets could be the greatest game of all time. Not only is this the defining game in a hotly contested series between two incredibly talented teams, but the story surrounding this matchup makes it even more compelling.
The Nuggets are a machine. They have made the playoffs six years in a row and are the defending champions. The duo of Jamal Murray and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is unstoppable. The franchise is 4-3 in Game 7, but this core group of players is 3-1. They have experience and talent.
But don't look now, the Timberwolves are coming. They have made it to the playoffs three years in a row. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns are coming into their own. The atmosphere is perfect. They even liked Rudy Gobert!
That might not be enough to defeat the Nuggets, but the Timberwolves have one more thing on their side in Game 7. That's history. Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of Game 7, the University of Minnesota's 83-80 victory over the Sacramento Kings in the second round. In this game, Kevin Garnett, who was celebrating his birthday, recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 steals.
Will the Timberwolves perform like KG, outperforming the Nuggets? Or will the experience of Jokic and others spell the end of Minnesota's rise? Perform all Game 7 actions below.
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Carl Towns literally saved this game from a blowout loss. He scored 13 of the Wolves' 38 points. They are trailing by 10 people.
The Nuggets are starting to tighten up their defense against Edwards. He is about to lose consciousness, but Gobert and the others do not react. MIN is shooting 33% and the Nuggets are riding his first big rally with a 30-19 lead.
Judging by the reaction from the bench and some of the players on the floor, I don't think Minnesota is getting help from where they want Jokic to post up. They keep doubling down on guys one pass away. This created some easy passes for Denver to shoot on.
Minnesota appears to be trying to get Murray for Edwards on the switch. With the Timberwolves in the game, Denver is flipping a double switch. That's what keeps Murray away from Edwards. The wolves may need to hold the screen one more beat longer. That means getting into their stuff a little bit…
Jamal Murray is active and aggressive after a two-day layoff, which is a great sign for the Nuggets. He's been a barometer for them in this series. He averages only 10 points in a loss and nearly 20 points in a win.
The Nuggets once again generated a lot of open looks, but again never got knocked down. If the shot simply falls, the execution will look much different.
