Timberwolves-Nuggets Game 6 preview: Radio-TV information, injury report and statistics
Denver has a 3-2 lead in the NBA Western Conference best-of-seven semifinal series as the teams move to Target Center.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
May 15, 2024 at 11:59PM
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Wolves (Nuggets lead best-of-seven series 3-2)
Game 6: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Target Center
TV, radio: ESPN; 100.3 FM and iHeart Radio
Stats and analytics: Tap here
Opening bell: The Wolves updated starting point guard Mike Conley’s status Wednesday, listing him as questionable because of a strained calf. He was a late scratch before Tuesday’s 112-97 loss at Denver because of the injury suffered on the final play of Game 4 on Sunday at Target Center. Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in his place. He played 39 minutes, made four three-pointers and scored 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting. He also had five assists and two blocks. A team finally won a road game in this series as Denver prevailed in Game 5 before a loud crowd at Ball Arena. The defeat marked the first time all season the Wolves lost three games consecutively. The Nuggets have two chances if needed, Thursday at Target Center and Sunday in Denver, to advance to the Western finals.
Watch him: Denver center Nikola Jokic accepted his third league MVP trophy in four years before the game, then went out and played like one worthy to take the Michael Jordan Trophy. He scored 40 points on 15-for-22 shooting and had 13 assists, seven rebounds, two steals, one block and no turnovers in 41 minutes. He did it with deep home run passes and behind-the-back passes and by scoring inside and out. Teammate Aaron Gordon called Jokic’s performance “amazing” and “ridiculous,” while Jamal Murray said, “It felt like he had 50.” Jokic said of one of his running, behind-the-head dunks: “I’m a freak of nature. Why not show my athleticism?”
Injuries: Conley is called questionable because of that calf strain. The Nuggets list Murray as questionable because of a strained calf, but they have been including him on their report and he has been starting and playing normal minutes.
Forecast: Jokic dominated four-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert as if it were personal. With Conley out, young Wolves star Anthony Edwards followed Sunday’s career playoff-best 44 points by making just one of his first seven shots Tuesday and three of his first 13. He finished 5-for-15 for 18 points. He must be better and Karl-Anthony Towns needs to be at his best against the awakened defending NBA champions. Towns played 38 minutes and scored 23 points despite going down and clutching his knee in the first quarter.
Their 28-point lead got trimmed to two late, but they held on in a Western Conference finals rematch that missed an injured Luka Doncic after halftime.
