As the Timberwolves rushed out of the visitors’ locker room in Denver after their Game 5 loss, Anthony Edwards wasn’t too upset and was in a chatty mood.
He chatted a bit with his teammates and some members of the media even after the cameras were turned off. But just before leaving, he was chatting with a guard in the Nuggets locker room. He told the attendant, “We’ll see you again Sunday for Game 7.”
Edwards and the Wolves delivered on that promise with a resounding 115-70 victory in Thursday night’s Game 6 at Target Center, a game that was about as dramatic as it could be compared to their previous three games.
Fans, league observers and perhaps even the Wolves themselves wondered if they would ever meet again. Their offense was anchored, the Nuggets were outrunning them, and Nikola Jokic was barely breaking a sweat against their once-intimidating defense.
But this defense came back strong to force the second Game 7 in franchise history on Sunday in Denver. It will be 20 years to the day since the Wolves won their only other Game 7 in franchise history, at home against Sacramento in the second round in 2004.
Sunday’s tipoff time will depend on the outcome of tonight’s Game 6 of the Pacers vs. Knicks series in the Eastern Conference. It will be at 2:30 p.m. if the Knicks win and at 7 p.m. if the Pacers extend this series to Game 7.
Negativity had filled the Wolves after their last three losses. There was some criticism within the team, Edwards said. So, heading into Game 6, the coaching staff decided to inject some positivity by showing the Wolves a glimpse of all the good things they did in Games 1 and 2. This team showed up Thursday evening.
“I think the last three games we were all down,” Edwards said. “I was just trying to point the finger, to blame somebody. … Everyone started to believe it after that little montage that they did. I could tell the energy changed after that little montage. C It was an important moment. I told them it was an important moment to put the edit together.
Forward Jaden McDaniels said it was a “hype video,” designed to reignite the competitive fire that had gone out for the Wolves.
“It had a good effect on us. It just shows that we are able to compete with these guys,” McDaniels said.
Even after the Wolves opened Thursday’s game trailing 9-2, calm reigned in an early timeout and their defense began to give Denver fits. Jamal Murray couldn’t hit (4-for-18, 10 points) and the Wolves sensed an opening. They broke out with 20 unanswered points in the first quarter, with Edwards scoring 14 of his 27. Coach Chris Finch talked about his team having “two answers” in Game 6. One was the overall response of going into the game with a different mindset. The second was after this first deficit.
“Honestly, it was quiet,” said point guard Mike Conley, back in the lineup after missing Tuesday’s game. “It wasn’t anyone going crazy or anything. It was, ‘Man, 9-2 to start, we need to get back to doing what we do, like focusing on the simple things. Don’t don’t do that.’ “The game is harder than it needs to be,” and we really responded to that.
It couldn’t have been more upsetting. The Wolves held the Nuggets to 30 percent shooting and 19 percent from three-point range and led by 50 at one point in the fourth quarter. The only moment of concern was when Edwards hit the deck hard in the third quarter after Michael Porter Jr. fouled him at the rim. He remained face down for several moments and took time to return to the group during a timeout.
But Edwards stayed in the game. He said he injured his tailbone but would be fine for Sunday.
“I’m used to falling like that in football when I’m wearing pads and stuff, so I’m well protected,” Edwards said. “I didn’t have any pads tonight, so I felt one for sure. It took me a while to get used to the pain, but I’m fine now.”
The rest of the evening was cause for celebration in a raucous Target Center, as the Wolves finally gave fans a reason to rejoice after losing the previous two games at home in this series.
The Wolves took many different looks at Jokic after he toasted them in Game 5 for 40 points. Karl-Anthony Towns was the primary one-on-one defender, but the Wolves mixed up their coverages with double teams throughout the night, in addition to letting Towns guard Jokic straight at times. That approach worked, as the Wolves held Jokic to 22 points, nine rebounds and just two assists, a stat line they would happily take back in the three-time NBA MVP’s seventh game.
“You never think you can stop players like that,” Towns said. “But you just know if you do your best to contain it, you give your team a great chance. I just wanted to go out there and do my best.”
Edwards was a little more candid in giving Towns credit, while saying he “cursed at him” before the match for getting in trouble.
“I insult him every chance I get,” Edwards said. “…I think you see it. If KAT doesn’t foul, we can pretty much win the game every time. Tonight he had three fouls, but he only had three, he didn’t ‘didn’t commit five I told him today, “We’re grateful you didn’t foul, because if you foul, we lose, because you’re the best match we have for Jokic. . “
BOXSCORE: Wolves 115, Denver 70
For the first time since Game 2, the Wolves offense was clicking. Edwards was hitting shots and setting up his teammates, especially McDaniels, who scored 21 points after scoring just 11 in no game this series.
“Not wanting to go home was a big factor for me today,” McDaniels said. “I was going to do everything I could to help my team.”
Conley also wanted to help in any way he could after missing Game 5 with a right soleus strain. Conley said he “couldn’t walk” two days earlier, but wasn’t about to miss a playoff game after treatment helped him get better over the previous 48 hours . He finished with 13 points and five assists.
“I just couldn’t move. But tonight it was a no-brainer,” Conley said. “I was going to try to find a way. We’re just better when we’re a complete team. Tonight was a complete effort. Glad we were able to show who we are, especially in the face of adversity. We are confronted.
The Wolves were so dominant that Denver coach Michael Malone emptied his bench with 9 minutes, 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter, allowing a cheering crowd to get the victory party started much more earlier than expected. Moments later, with the crowd on their feet, Edwards showed the crowd seven fingers. He will have the opportunity to see this locker room attendant again and will be able to offer a little “I told you so” when he does.
“I feel like as a competitor, it’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Edwards said. “I’ve never played a Game 7 on the road, but all my playoff experiences on the road have been super fun because no one is on your side. I can just imagine what that game will be like.”