Minnesota Timberwolves eliminate Denver Nuggets in NBA play-offs
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Jaden McDaniels (right) of the Minnesota Timberwolves embracing the Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun after Minnesota's 110-98 win on April 30.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES – The Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets, while the New York Knicks put up one of the most dominant displays in National Basketball Association (NBA) play-off history, destroying the Atlanta Hawks to advance on April 30.
Sixth-seeded Minnesota will play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals after posting a 110-98 win to complete a 4-2 series upset over third-seeded Denver.
Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic led the scoring for the Nuggets with 28 points but it was not enough to fend off the dogged Timberwolves, who were playing without their injured star man Anthony Edwards.
The All-NBA guard’s starting-perimeter counterpart Donte DiVincenzo was already ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury while Ayo Dosunmu, who was the hero for Minnesota in Game 4 with 43 points, also missed Game 6 due to a calf injury.
The clash in Minneapolis was tight throughout, with no team gaining a double-digit lead until the game’s dying moments.
The Timberwolves edged the first half, leading 57-50 at the break.
Jokic then roared to life as he scored 14 points in the third quarter alone to ensure a nail-biting finish.
Having already been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct from Game 4 after a shoving match, the Serb enraged the home crowd by sparking another brawl, this time with Jaylen Clark.
Jokic remained in the line-up despite a chorus of “Kick him out” chants from the home crowd.
With the Timberwolves leading by five points with less than 90 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels sank a long jump shot for two to rouse the home fans and force a Nuggets timeout.
When play resumed, he came up with a steal to force a turnover before sinking two free throws to close out the win, ending his night with a play-off career-high 32 points to lead all scorers.
“Jaden McDaniels, he talked all series and he backed it up all series,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.
“That’s called legitimate tough. He not only led us tonight scoring, but (Jamal) Murray was 4-for-17 tonight, I don’t think he scored on Jaden the whole game. That’s what you want.”
A visibly crestfallen Jokic, whose side last won the NBA championship just three years ago in 2023, said they “just didn’t do a good job”.
“I needed to play better. I must play better,” he added.
Edwards – out with a bone bruise and hyper-extended left knee – could return for the Timberwolves’ series against the high-flying Spurs.
Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Knicks routed the Hawks 140-89.
It was the most points scored and biggest win by New York in a play-off game, setting up an Eastern Conference semi-final with either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, who are tied 3-3 after the Sixers’ 106-93 victory.
The Knicks wrapped up their 4-2 series win on April 30 in emphatic style, leading the Hawks by as many as 61 points before benching their starters for the final quarter.
New York’s 47-point half-time lead, at 83-36, was the biggest in NBA play-off history. AFP, REUTERS
