NBA: Timberwolves hold off Nuggets in OT, avoid sweep
Anthony Edwards #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts during overtime against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center on April 23, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
Anthony Edwards scored 34 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored six points in overtime as the Minnesota Timberwolves avoided elimination by defeating the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in Minneapolis on Sunday night in Game 4 of a first-round Western Conference playoff series.
The top-seeded Nuggets lead the series 3-1 and will again try to eliminate the No. 8-seeded Timberwolves in Game 5 Tuesday night in Denver.
Mike Conley added 19 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out for the Wolves. Rudy Gobert chipped in 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Kyle Anderson scored 11 points.
ANTHONY EDWARDS.
CLUTCH.TIMBERWOLVES LEAD BY 4 ON TNT! pic.twitter.com/4uAadAeD1w
— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2023
Nikola Jokic had 43 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Nuggets. Jamal Murray scored 19 points, Michael Porter Jr. notched 15 and Aaron Gordon finished with 14.
Jokic had four points and an assist to help Denver take a 102-101 lead in overtime, but Alexander-Walker, who had missed all three of his 3-point attempts in regulation, made consecutive treys to start an 8-0 run that gave Minnesota a 109-102 lead midway with 1:29 left to play.
Murray had two baskets and Jokic one as the Nuggets got within one point, but Edwards made a 3-pointer with 11.5 seconds left to seal the victory.
Edwards made a jumper that gave Minnesota a 96-84 lead with 2:52 left in the fourth quarter, but Porter made two 3-pointers and Jokic added six points to comprise a 12-0 run that pulled the Nuggets even at 96 with 12.7 seconds left.
Scenes from Denver's improbable comeback…
11-0 run.
Nuggets, Timberwolves heading to OT on TNT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/JFpbm6ob0F
— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2023
Minnesota had a chance to win, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope blocked Edwards as he attempted a jumper in the final second.
Jokic scored nine quick points early in the third quarter to give Denver a 64-55 lead.
Edwards scored 14 points as Minnesota finished the period with a 25-10 run to build an 80-74 lead heading into the fourth.
Edwards had eight points and two assists and Gobert’s layup gave the Wolves a 23-22 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter featured seven ties and seven lead changes, the last of which came as Denver scored the final five points of the first half to grab a 52-48 halftime lead.
