Timberwolves 119-116 Nuggets (Nov 1, 2024) Game Recap

On By Littum

MINNEAPOLIS — – Anthony Edwards hit a 7-foot go-ahead floater with 25.7 seconds left and Rudy Gobert iced the game with two free throws to lead Minnesota Timberwolves over Denver Nuggets 119-116 Friday night.

Edwards scored 29 points, Gobert had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Julius Randle added 23 points and seven assists for the Timberwolves, who overcame a 25-3 fourth-quarter run by the Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds and hit two free throws with 2:30 left to put Denver up 116-109 before Minnesota roared back. Jokic had a chance to tie the game at 119, but Gobert forced a botched corner 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left.

Gordon led the Nuggets with 31 points and 11 rebounds in a rematch from last season Western Conference Semifinals.

Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points for the Nuggets, who lost point guard Jamal Murray to the concussion protocol in the third quarter after colliding with Randle.

Takeaways

Nuggets: Lightening some of the load on three-time NBA MVP Jokic will be key to keeping their window for championship contention open, and Gordon and Porter did their part. But the lack of depth is a concern. Their bench was outscored 31-13.

Timberwolves: After leading the league in defense last season, they have sprung some leaks, especially in transition. The Nuggets had 22 fast-break points.

Key moment

Braun dunked on the 7-foot-2 Gobert with 5:14 left and got even closer to his face with a taunting scream that made Gobert grabbed Braun by the neck. The benches cleared, shouts were exchanged and both players received a technical.

Key state

Gordon had his second-highest scoring total in four-plus seasons with the Nuggets. He shot 11 for 18.

Next

The Nuggets host Utah on Saturday. while the Timberwolves play in San Antonio on the same day.

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AP NBA: