5 things that stood out in the Timberwolves' Game 1 loss to Denver
Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves was a laugher, with Denver blowing out the Timberwolves 109-80. Here are five things that stood out for Minnesota...
1. Another KAT playoff dud
Towns had 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting but he did most of his damage when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter. In fact, Towns scored four points in the first half and didn't scored in the third quarter. The performance mirrors playoff duds from his two previous postseason appearances.
Towns had eight points in his first career playoff game against the Rockets in 2018 and he followed that up with a five-point effort in Game 2 of that series. Last year against the Grizzlies, Towns had a meager 15 points and took only seven shots in a Game 2 loss and then he had just eight points on four shots in a Game 3 loss.
2. Jokic outplaying Towns and Gobert
Nikola Jokic had an off night by his standards – 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists before fouling out – but he still dominated Minnesota's twin towers, Towns had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Gobert had eight points with 13 rebounds, but Jokic was a plus-15 compared to Gobert (minus-28) and Towns (minus-11).
"They got almost the same number of rebounds as Joker and he got more points than them combined. That's wasted energy and talent. If you're going to have such a size advantage, you have to be dominating," said Charles Barkley during the TNT halftime show "These two guys, they don't do enough offensively to make it worthwhile. That's my biggest problem with Minnesota."
3. Brutal start to the third quarter
Denver led by 11 at the half and opened up a 19-point lead within the first four minutes of the third quarter thanks in large part to Minnesota's ineptitude. Towns bricked a 3-pointer on the first possession of the quarter and Minnesota followed that with four straight turnovers on bad passes, two by Towns and one each by Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley.
What's more is that Anthony Edwards went to the bench when he fouled Michael Porter Jr. on a 3-pointer that gave Denver the 19-point lead. It was his fourth foul of the night and forced him to the bench.
Denver continued to crush Minnesota and built a 29-point lead entering the fourth.
4. Veteran experience doesn't pay off
Last year when the Wolves blew numerous double-digit leads and lost in six games to the Grizzlies, they could at least blame youth. It was Edwards's first playoff experience and Towns was in the postseason for the first time since 2018.
This year, they don't have that excuse with the additions of Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson, who as a trio entered the game with a combined 171 games of playoff experience. Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson have combined for 171 career playoff games.
5. Heated Kyle Anderson at end of third quarter
With 35 seconds left in the third quarter and Minnesota trailing by 25, Anderson got into a bit a scuffle with Denver's Christian Braun. Anderson appeared to elbow Braun in the jaw before they locked arms and a brief struggle ensued. Anderson was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul and he won't be in danger of a suspension.
