Timberwolves Up 2-0, Defending Champ Nuggets in Trouble
Nuggets vs Timberwolves Odds, Predictions and More
Nuggets vs Timberwolves odds are currently Timberwolves -4.5 with a total set at 203.5, the lowest total of the series so far.
The Nuggets hadn’t lost consecutive playoff games since 2021, and only lost consecutive home games once all season long. After Monday’s embarrassing loss against the Timberwolves, these are both no longer true and the Nuggets are down 0-2, in a hole, and heading to Minnesota for two road games.
The Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the Denver Nuggets 106-99 in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, defying pre-game odds that favored Denver by 5.5 points. Anthony Edwards exploded for a career-high 43 points, adding seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal to his stat sheet. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 20 points, while Naz Reid, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, provided a spark off the bench with 16 points in limited minutes.
While Nikola Jokic, Denver’s likely NBA MVP race winner, led the team with 32 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, his shooting efficiency was off. He went just 11-of-25 from the field. Jamal Murray also struggled, going scoreless in the first half (a first in his playoff career) and finishing with 17 points on poor shooting. Michael Porter Jr. provided some offense with 20 points and sharp three-point shooting, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Minnesota’s collective effort and defensive strength.
Minnesota’s incredible defense didn’t stop in their Game 2 performance either. The Timberwolves came out in Game 2 as if they were shot out of a cannon. Without their defensive captain, and soon-to-be four-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year Trophy, Rudy Gobert, their defense still suffocated the Nuggets for the entire game.
With the referees deciding to swallow their whistles (which should be expected in the playoffs), the Timberwolves upped their physicality to a level the Nuggets couldn’t overcome. The Nuggets looked frustrated, uncomfortable, and defeated within the first 20 minutes of the game. They turned the ball over 16 times, the Timberwolves combining for 12 blocks and 11 steals in the 106-80 loss.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards each scored 27 points, while Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the bench with incredible defense and 14 points each. Aaron Gordon was the only player on the Nuggets who scored more than Jokic’s 16 points, with 20 points (-33 in plus/minus). Jamal Murray played horribly, with eight points and four turnovers to his measly two assists.
With our Nuggets vs Timberwolves odds, we will look at NBA playoff results and much more to see if either of these teams has a chance at becoming the NBA finals winners.
Denver Nuggets (57-25) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26)
Date, time:
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Towns Finding His Form
After getting only two games under his belt after returning from injury before the playoffs started, Karl-Anthony Towns is showing why Minnesota should trust him as the second fiddle to Anthony Edwards rising star. Towns, who averaged 21.8 points on the season, failed to reach the 20-point mark in his first five games back from injury.
Since then, he has scored 28, 20, and 27 points in the last three Timberwolves games. On Monday’s domination of the Nuggets, he put up 27 points and 12 rebounds on a super-efficient 10-of-15 shooting. Towns likely won’t shoot as efficiently in Game 3, but he could hit his points over for the third straight game.
Murray Can’t Be Right
Jamal Murray is playing horribly this playoffs. He is currently dealing with a left calf strain that had him questionable before Game 2, but if he is going to continue to shoot as inefficiently as he has, the Nuggets may have no hope. After Game 2, Murray is only shooting 37.5% from the field these playoffs, over 10% below his season average of 48.1%.
The Timberwolves are preying on Jamal’s lack of confidence (and injury), picking him up full court and disrupting him in every way possible. Murray’s point total was set at 22.5 for both Game 1 and Game 2. If you can get his prop around 20 points for Game 3, we like the under.
Timberwolves Favored to Go Up 3-0
Nuggets vs Timberwolves odds are currently Timberwolves -4.5 with a total set at 203.5. The oddsmakers have the Wolves going up 3-0 against the defending champions and winning their sixth straight playoff game.
The Nuggets seemed primed for another title run, but the tides have turned for the worst. Nuggets backers who still have hope should grab the +4.5 points, but all we know is that things are looking grim for Denver.
