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West playoffs: Jamal Murray drops 30 as Nuggets take Game 1
Jamal Murray leads Nuggets to Game 1 victory with 30 points!
ESPN News1 min read
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NBA playoffs: Timberwolvesâ offense dries up in Game 1 loss at Denver
TL;DR
The Timberwolves lost Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs to the Nuggets, 116-105, after a strong start but a dry offense in the second half. Game 2 is scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. CT in Denver.
Key points
- Timberwolves lost Game 1 of the playoffs
- Nuggets shot only 28% from 3-point range
- Timberwolves forced 14 turnovers
- Game 2 scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. CT
- Wolves had a 12-point lead early in the game
TimberwolvesNuggetsNBA playoffs
DENVER â The defensive end was largely effective for the Timberwolves in Game 1 of their Western Conference opener on Saturday afteroon.
The Nuggets, for a change, couldnât hit water if they fell out of a boat, the NBAâs best 3-point shooting team good on only 28% of its shots from beyond the arc. In addition, the Wolves forced 14 turnovers that led to 17 points the other way.
But the end of the floor the Timberwolves werenât concerned about going into this series was a struggle. The Timberwolvesâ offense ran dry in the second half, and the Nuggets took a 1-0 series lead with a 116-105 victory at Ball Arena.
Game 2 is Monday at 9:30 p.m. CT in Denver.
The Wolves came out hot, racing to an early 12-point lead. But Denver repeatedly got to the free-throw line over the first two quarters to stem the tide and went to the break tied 62-62.
Thatâs when Minnesotaâs offense unraveled. The Wolves made just 2 of their first 16 shots in the third quarter as Denver built a 15-point advantage.
Largely thanks to their defense, the Wolves forged their way back into the contest in the fourth, getting back to within two on an Ayo Dosunmu bucket. But Minnesota went scoreless for another two minutes from there.
Jamal Murray finished with 30 points, going 16 for 16 from the free-throw line on an otherwise poor shooting day.
Rudy Gobert finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, while Anthony Edwards added 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
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Q&A
What was the final score of the Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 1?
The final score was 116-105 in favor of the Nuggets.
When is Game 2 of the Timberwolves vs Nuggets playoff series?
Game 2 is scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. CT in Denver.
How did the Timberwolves perform defensively in Game 1?
The Timberwolves were effective defensively, forcing 14 turnovers that led to 17 points.
