The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be on their way to a disappointing end to their season when they fell behind by 20 points in the second half of Sunday's Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. However, the Timberwolves mounted a furious comeback to earn a 98-90 win that sent the defending NBA champions home in surprising fashion. It's Minnesota's first trip to the conference finals since 2004.
The Nuggets held a 58-38 lead early in the third quarter before things fell apart. The Timberwolves closed the quarter on a 28-9 run and didn't let up, leading by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter and outscoring the Nuggets 60-37 in the second half. Minnesota used a collective effort to take down the Denver, as six players scored in double figures.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Jaden McDaniels also had 23 points. Star guard Anthony Edwards posted 16 points while shooting just 6-of-24 from the field, but he made some key shots down the stretch. Rudy Gobert had 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and Naz Reid had 11 points off the bench while playing outstanding defense.
Mike Conley posted 10 points. The defensive effort by the Timberwolves was also impressive, as fans in Ball Arena were left silent while the Nuggets struggled to regain control of the game. Jamal Murray had a game-high 35 points and NBA MVP Nikola Jokić stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.
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