Jamal Murray #27 and Michael Porter Jr.1 of the Denver Nuggets celebrate their win in the final seconds against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter during Round 1 Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 19, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Jamal Murray scored 40 points, Nikola Jokic had 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Wednesday.
“It was a passionate, heartfelt performance,” Denver coach Michael Malone said of Murray’s display. “Just the fact that he’s missed the last two postseasons, just to have him back, and playing at that level — Jamal overall was terrific.”
The Nuggets lead the series 2-0 heading to Game 3 in Minneapolis on Friday.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 points, Aaron Gordon had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Jeff Green finished with 11 points for top-seeded Denver.
Michael Malone sounds off on Jamal Murray after his 40-piece in tonight's Game 2 W 🗣️#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iYZeNcpewc
— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2023
Anthony Edwards had a franchise-playoff-record 41 points for the No. 8-seeded Timberwolves, hitting 14 of 23 shots — including 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Rudy Gobert scored 19 points, Mike Conley had 14 points, Taurean Prince put up 12 points, Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Kyle Anderson also had 10 points.
Minnesota scored 40 points in the third quarter to lead 89-87 entering the fourth. Denver went on an 8-0 run to open the final quarter, grabbing a 95-89 lead, but Edwards had seven points in a 10-3 surge to put the Timberwolves in front 99-98 with 6:55 to go.
Porter answered with a 3-pointer, Minnesota missed its next three shots and three Nuggets free throws made it 104-99 with 5:33 remaining.
Apr 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) controls the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) guards in the fourth quarter during game two of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Conley hit a running bank shot, but Jokic fed Gordon on an alley-oop and Porter sank a mid-range jumper to make it 108-101.
Edwards hit two free throws before Murray drained another 3-pointer and a 12-footer to make it a 10-point game with 3:14 left.
Conley and Edwards made 3-pointers to get Minnesota within 115-109 before Murray answered with one from deep. Edwards hit a 20-footer, but another Jokic-Gordon alley-oop sealed it.
The Nuggets led by as many as 21 in the second quarter before Minnesota chipped away and got within 64-49 at halftime.
Murray’s layup with 9:41 left in the third gave Denver a 70-55 lead before the Timberwolves went on a 14-0 run.
Towns hit a 3-pointer, Gobert had two dunks and Edwards scored five points during the surge that made it a one-point game. The Nuggets hit two baskets to go up by five, but Minnesota’s 10-5 run tied it at 79.
After Jokic split a pair of free throws, Anderson’s dunk gave the Timberwolves their first lead since the first quarter.