DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 43 points, Naz Reid had 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets 106-99 in Game 1 of the second-round series Saturday night.
Edwards was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 25 points, and Reid took over in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota jumped out to an 18-4 lead to start the game. Denver would surge back to lead 25-23 at the end of the first and 44-40 at the half. It was a two-point game heading into the fourth, when the Reid and the Timberwolves ran away with the game in the final minutes.
Game 2 is Monday night in Denver.
Three days after undergoing knee surgery, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was on the bench in the second row, next to the scorer’s table and behind assistant coach Micah Nori, who did the instructing, roaming and switching.
Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists but also turned the ball over seven times for Denver.
Denver Nuggets Western Conference Semifinals schedule:
• Game 2: Timberwolves @ Nuggets, Monday, May 6 (8 p.m. MST on TNT)
• Game 3: Nuggets @ Timberwolves, Friday, May 10 (7:30 p.m. MST on ESPN)
• Game 4: Nuggets @ Timberwolves, Sunday, May 12 (6 p.m. MST on TNT)
• Game 5: Timberwolves @ Nuggets, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD, TBD) *
• Game 6: Nuggets @ Timberwolves, Thursday, May 16 (TBD, TBD) *
• Game 7: Timberwolves @ Nuggets, Sunday, May 19 (TBD, TBD) *
* if necessary
