Nuggets use livid first-half run to even sequence with Wolves

MINNEAPOLIS — Nikola Jokic burned a double-team by discovering Kentavious Caldwell-Pope open for a 3 then notched a steal and hit a streaking Michael Porter Jr. for a fast-break dunk earlier than Jamal Murray collected one other steal and swished a 55-foot heave on the buzzer.

Within the span of 20 dizzying seconds, the Denver Nuggets scored eight factors to dash into halftime of Sunday’s Sport 4 up by 15. The flurry left the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Goal Middle crowd surprised whereas propelling Denver to a 115-107 win to even the Western Convention semifinal sequence at 2-2.

The Nuggets left Denver on Thursday down 2-0 and feeling as if many had counted them out in opposition to the upstart Timberwolves. They return to Colorado having reclaimed their championship swagger and with home-court benefit again of their pocket.

Requested what his crew present in Minneapolis throughout these two highway video games, Denver coach Michael Malone quoted former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

“What I discovered is Rudy T is true, man,” Malone mentioned. “‘By no means underestimate the guts of a champion.’ They have been fast to write down us off, however these guys, we received a championship a 12 months in the past. We went into Miami [in the NBA Finals], received two video games in a row. This crew has been examined time and time once more, and we discovered a strategy to clear up no matter’s been thrown at us.

“This sequence is a good distance from being over. We’re not celebrating. It is 2-2. … However what I discovered about our group is that they do consider in themselves. And extra importantly, they consider within the man subsequent to them. We now have a bunch that’s performing as you’d hope a championship crew would act.”

Not like their debacle in Sport 2, when Minnesota’s protection suffocated them 106-80, the Nuggets did not simply have a solution for all the pieces the opponents threw at them Sunday — they took it to the Timberwolves.

Regardless of 44 factors from Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, the Nuggets held Karl-Anthony Cities to 5-for-18 capturing. Aaron Gordon, who led Denver along with his versatility, switched between guarding the 7-foot Cities and the 6-foot-4 Edwards.

On offense, Gordon made his first 10 photographs from the sector earlier than ending 11-for-12 with 27 factors, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. He did all of it, together with bringing the ball up the ground and being a playmaker for the Nuggets.

“He was our greatest participant tonight,” Jokic mentioned. “He was doing all the pieces.”

It was excessive reward coming from Jokic, who delivered a three-time MVP efficiency with 35 factors, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and three steals. Murray added 19 factors, 8 assists and 5 rebounds to go together with the shot that deflated the Minnesota trustworthy.

“That was sick,” Gordon mentioned of the buzzer-beater and eight-point spurt to finish the second quarter. “I imply, that was loopy, man. Murray three-quarter-court 3 … so sick.”

The Timberwolves had management of this sequence solely to lose it in what was purported to be a weekend of celebration earlier than a delirious crowd.

Earlier than the Nuggets’ beautiful first-half end, the Timberwolves had simply reduce a 16-point lead all the way down to seven with 48.3 seconds to go within the second quarter.

“Yeah, that damage,” Cities mentioned. “We made an excellent run to get ourselves again within the sport and acquired some momentum, put some juice within the constructing, after which they did what the defending champs do.

“It positively despatched us to halftime with a foul style in our mouth. So we simply acquired to be higher subsequent time.”

With Gordon hitting virtually all the pieces he put up and Jokic heading off virtually each Timberwolves’ run with an enormous shot or go, the Nuggets now can take command of the sequence at house in Sport 5 on Tuesday.

Gordon mentioned he knew the Nuggets would reply the best way they did this weekend.

“I like when folks rely us out,” Gordon mentioned. “Numerous these guys have been counted out earlier than of their profession. They have been the underdogs or the darkish horse of their profession earlier than. They’ve operated from that house earlier than, having their backs in opposition to the wall, of being counted out.

“So I do not suppose it was something new to the people. It was new to our collective. However I preferred the problem, and I am glad we accepted it and put ourselves in an excellent place with house court docket.”

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.