Ten clutch points: Takeaways from Timberwolves’ record-setting comeback victory over the NBA champions

The Timberwolves’ comeback from a 20-point deficit in a 98-90 victory on Sunday night in Denver was the biggest in NBA Game 7 history. The Wolves outscored Denver 60-37 in the second half after scoring 38 in the first half. A 28-14 third quarter changed the game. The Wolves won three of the series’ four games at Denver’s Ball Arena, and the Nuggets failed to score 100 points in any of the three losses.

The Wolves open their first Western Conference final in 20 years on Wednesday against Dallas at Target Center. They won three of the four meetings with the Mavericks this season, although either Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving (or both) sat in the three games the Wolves won.

In the game in the fourth quarter because Karl-Anthony Towns had five personal fouls, Naz Reid showed why he’s the NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the clock ticking out and the game in doubt.

In the final five minutes when the Wolves had turned what was a 20-point deficit into a 10-point lead, Reid blocked a Nikola Jokic shot and scored six points, including a finger-roll basket, a tip jam of an Anthony Edwards missed layup and a couple free throws..

Edwards made just one of his first eight shots, but the All-Star started to find his rhythm after halftime among Denver’s double-teaming defense intended to get the ball out of his hands.

He did so getting a couple of steals and fast-break slams while scoring eight of his points in the third quarter.

He finished with 16 points on 6-for-24 shooting. But included in that was a clutch three-pointer from the right corner that pushed the Wolves lead to 92-82 with 3:03 left.

When asked on TNT’s postgame about the game MVP, Edwards picked Jaden McDaniels and praised Karl-Anthony Towns’ all-around game, that included a clinching slam dunk with 41 seconds left on a 23-point, 12-rebound night.

The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert turned scoring in the fourth quarter, providing eight big points — the most surprising of all an arcing turnaround fadeaway jumper with the shot clock winding down with 7:43 to go. That put the Wolves up eight.

Gobert also made four of five free throws in the fourth quarter before he fouled out with 2:05 to go. He finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

His elbow and calf hurting — probably his ego a little, too — Denver star Jamal Murray vowed he’d be better Sunday than he was going 4-for-18 for 10 points in Game 6′s 45-point loss at Target Center.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone saw it in practice Saturday, when Murray was the last player off the floor.

“He looked hungry,” Malone said. “He looked like he hadn’t eaten in two days. I hope he doesn’t eat until 6 p.m. (Sunday).”

He sure was.

By halftime, Murray already had 24 points, including three three-pointers, on 8-for-15 shooting and the Nuggets led 54-38, the Wolves’ lowest scoring first half in their season.

Quiet for much of the second half until the final five minutes, Murray finished with 35 points.

Ever heard the one about NBA being a game of runs?

Didn’t think so, but here were two that helped define the game the game:

Denver’s 27-7 burst — including 16-0 inside of it — ended the first quarter and began the second. It took the Nuggets from trailing 19-16 into a 32-19 lead that made Wolves coaches Micah Nori and Chris Finch call timeout with 9½ minutes left before halftime.

The Nuggets did it fueled by a couple Murray three-pointers made back-to-back and with a physical defending on Edwards that took him out of his game. The Wolves didn’t score for 5:09 and ended the Denver run with Gobert free throws midway through the second quarter.

The Wolves turned the game around with a run of their own, a 32-9 run that ended the third quarter and started the fourth, giving the Wolves their first lead since they led 19-18.

It also turned a 20-point deficit into a 70-67 lead in the fourth quarter’s opening moments.

Just like the Wolves hit hard after taking a quick, early lead in Game 6, the Nuggets hit back hard to answer before the Wolves threw a haymaker of their own.

TNT analyst and former Wolves guard Jamal Crawford gave Jokic credit for setting the tone for Game 7 by standing most of the fourth quarter of Game 6 after Denver coach Michael Malone took out his starters in such a lopsided game.

Sounds good, but when asked about his standing significance, Jokic said he was trying to keep loose rather than sitting so he could lift after the game.

Malone wore a sweatshirt commemorating the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA championship in his pregame press conference before Game 7.

“We’re the reigning world champ,” Malone said after his team’s lopsided Game 6 loss at Target Center. “Let’s not forget that. That was only last year, so let’s get back to play like that, acting like that.”

TNT studio predicted Game 7 this way: Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith picked the Wolves to win, host Ernie Johnson and guest analyst Vince Carter, filling in for Shaquille O’Neal, took Denver.

Don’t forget Barkley predicted the series was over in a sweep after the Wolves won the series’ first two games in Denver, but before they lost the next two at Target Center and a third consecutively as well.

All four like the Wolves and their vibe in the Western final.

Sunday was the 20th anniversary of the Wolves’ only other Game 7, 83-80 over Sacramento in the 2004 Western Conference semifinals at Target Center — and Kevin Garnett’s 28th birthday.

The victory advanced the Wolves to their first conference final against O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Garnett got them there with 32 points, 21 rebounds, five blocks, four steals and he played 46 of 48 minutes.

His game-ending celebration included a leap onto the scorer’s table. Not long after, he addressed then-TNT broadcaster Steve Kerr’s comment about Garnett’s extra exuberance.

”Steve Kerr’s never been out in the first round seven straight,” Garnett said that night. “This was my moment to enjoy it, so I went ahead and enjoyed it, with my fans and people of the city and the state. I (was going to) rejoice, how I was feeling. I wasn’t going to get anything come between that. I understand there is business at hand, but how express how I was feeing at the time. ... I wasn’t going to hold back.”

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.