The Denver Nuggets can take the series lead for the first time in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves this Wednesday in Colorado. Will the Nuggets make it three in a row and move closer to another Western Conference finals berth? Or, will the Timberwolves howl their way to a huge win at the defending champions’ home?
Catch this game live on Monday, May 15, 2024 at 10:30 AM, Manila time
Away: Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2)
Projected Starting Five:
- Mike Conley
- Anthony Edwards
- Jaden McDaniels
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Rudy Gobert
The Timberwolves have to get control of the series back. They had their claws deep into it after two games in this series, but they failed to take advantage of their home court in Games 3 and 4. In their 115-107 loss last Sunday, they squeezed Anthony Edwards for 44 points but did not get enough support from the other guys who were supposed to provide that for Minnesota. Amid Edwards’ stellar play in Game 4 was Karl-Anthony Towns’ pathetic offensive performance.
The Dominican put up just 13 points on an ugly 5/18 shooting from the field. KAT has to wake up, as the Timberwolves need him to help offset the tremendous production Nikola Jokic is having on the other end of the court. Perhaps, Towns and the Timberwolves will recover their offense in Denver, where they seemed to have forgotten it. They averaged 106.0 points on 51.2 FG% in Games 1 and 2 — both in Mile High City.
Home: Denver Nuggets (2-2)
Projected Starting Five:
- Jamal Murray (Questionable)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Aaron Gordon
- Nikola Jokic
Murray is questionable for Game 5, but he’s very much expected to play this Wednesday, as he’s seemingly been moving better and better amid a calf issue. That is bad news for the Timberwolves, who appear to be in disarray, unable to comprehend what just hit them in the last two games after getting the feeling that they have the series in the bag.
Maybe those two losses to Minnesota were just the wake-up call the Nuggets needed to bring their focus back after falling asleep on the wheel in their first-round cakewalk versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Jokic, meanwhile, continues to be a force. He may have also figured things out against the Timberwolves as he has averaged 29.5 points and 10.5 rebounds to go with a 56.8 FG% in the last two games. With momentum and home-court advantage against a deflated Timberwolves, the Nuggets are in a great position to win their third game in a row in the series.
Picks
Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves (+4.0)
Over/Under: Over (205.5)
