It is hard to describe what it was like watching the Minnesota Timberwolves make one of the most impressive comebacks in NBA history. I honestly thought they were cooked after how badly they got dominated in the first half by the Denver Nuggets.
Everything looked to be going Denver’s way as their 53-38 lead at halftime included a 24-point first half from Jamal Murray and a solid 13 point, 15 rebound double-double from Nikola Jokic. They even managed to push that lead up to 20 in the third quarter, making it look like the night might be over early.
Then, out of nowhere, the Timberwolves lost their fucking minds again. In a scene eerily reminiscent of the first quarter of Game 6, where the Minnesota went on a 29-5 run to blow the game wide open, this time they closed out the third quarter with a 28-9 run to cut the lead to just one point heading into the final stanza.
They did it with the suffocating defense that they’ve been known for all season and once they grabbed their first lead of the second half with just a few seconds off the clock, the Timberwolves looked like they had deflated the Nuggets’ confidence.
You can tell a lot about a player by how they respond to adversity and it’s fair to say that Anthony Edwards doesn’t give much of a shit about bad shooting nights. He had a shitty night from the field, shooting 6 of 24 overall to finish with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. What was impressive, though, was that he continued to lead the team even while he was firing bricks, making sure to keep morale up and also helping give instructions to his teammates in huddles. He also made some of the big shots in the closing stretch of the game.
Edwards’ teammates rewarded him by having solid games. Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points,12 rebounds, two steals and a block while shooting 8 of 14. Jaden McDaniels also had 23 points and six assists while making 7 of 10 attempts, including 3 of 4 long balls. Rudy Gobert made the most of being sent to the line to finish with 13 points, nine rebounds, a steal and two blocks while making 7 of 9 free throws. I mean, for fuck’s sakes, Gobert was doing shit like making turnaround jumpers over Jokic.
Perhaps even more impressively, Minnesota managed to get the win with two key players in foul trouble. Rudy Gobert found himself fouling out after two quick calls with two minutes left in the game, while Karl-Anthony Towns sat the majority of the fourth quarter with five fouls before returning after Gobert got ejected.
The Timberwolves’ victory also added to another streak. After losing Game 7, the Nuggets became the sixth-straight defending champion to be unable to make it past the second round. That’s a great sign, in my opinion, that the competitive parity in the NBA has reached a level that’s perhaps never been seen in league history.
I tip my hat to Minnesota’s coaching staff and players. I’m thoroughly impressed by how they handled pressure throughout the series, especially with their 45-point win in Game 6 and then this epic comeback in Game 7. There’s no doubt in my mind that they deserved to win this game. Looking at the final four, I actually think the Wolves are going to win it all. I can’t wait to see how the matchup between Edwards and Luka Doncic goes in the Western Conference Finals.
