Nikola Jokic celebrated his third NBA MVP award by scoring 40 factors and the Denver Nuggets shut down Anthony Edwards in a 112-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night time. That put the reigning NBA champions one win away from the Western Convention finals.
Jokic additionally had 13 assists and 7 rebounds with no turnovers as the house crew gained for the primary time this semifinal collection. Aaron Gordon added 18 factors and 10 boards, and Jamal Murray scored 16.
Edwards was held to 18 factors on 5-of-15 capturing. Karl Anthony-Cities led the Wolves with 23 factors and Rudy Gobert scored 18.
With their first three-game shedding streak of the season, the Wolves must snap their skid Thursday night time at Goal Middle to pressure a Sport 7 again in Denver.
Jokic, who was introduced together with his third MVP trophy by commissioner Adam Silver in a pregame ceremony, scored 19 first-half factors in main Denver to a 50-44 lead on the half. He added 16 factors within the third quarter when the Nuggets pushed their result in 14.
Jokic's dunk with 7:12 left within the fourth gave Denver a 98-80 lead. After the Wolves used a mini-run to tug to 103-92, Jokic nailed a 3-pointer on the shot clock buzzer over a helpless Gobert, who not too long ago gained his fourth NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months award, to make it a 14-point lead with simply over 3 minutes left.
After the Wolves inched forward 55-53 early within the third quarter, Jokic assisted on 4 consecutive baskets throughout Denver's 11-2 response for a 64-57 lead that might stand the remainder of the way in which.
Edwards averaged 33.3 factors within the first 4 video games of the collection and the Wolves had been searching for any individual else to step up. Though KAT did simply that, Edwards missed eight of his first 9 photographs, had 5 factors at halftime and did not discover his capturing contact till the sport had gotten away from the Timberwolves.
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Timberwolves veteran level guard Mike Conley was scratched simply earlier than tipoff with a sore proper Achilles. He was injured when he missed a 3-pointer on the Wolves' remaining possession of their loss on Sunday. Nickeil Alexander-Walker began in his spot and had 14 factors and 5 assists.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch mentioned earlier than the sport that the Wolves had been wanting so as to add to their rotation whether or not or not Conley performed and he discovered a while for Monte Morris after Denver's bench outplayed the Wolves' reserves in Minneapolis. Morris scored six factors.
In his pre-game feedback, Finch additionally expressed dismay on the NBA fining Rudy Gobert $75,000 for making a cash gesture following a name by referee Scott Foster in Sport 4.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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