The Nuggets arrive in good shape for this remake of the last Western Conference semi-final, with four victories in a row. However, it was the Wolves who quickly got their hands on the match, notably thanks to a Rudy Gobert undoubtedly motivated by his duel with Nikola Jokic, but also by his last delicate outings…
The Frenchman is thus omnipresent at the start of the match, sliding well in areas poorly monitored by the Colorado defense, which focuses on Anthony Edwards, finding his teammates on the move or finishing with a floater.
Opposite, Nikola Jokic tries to insist in force under the circle, while Jamal Murray finds openings, but the Nuggets defense is suffering, especially against the Wolves substitutes, with Rob Dillingham who is not afraid to eyes and who too easily outruns his opponents.
Anthony Edwards heats up in the second quarter to compensate for the lack of inspiration from Julius Randle, often at the wrong tempo. But Denver definitely cannot get going, while Nikola Jokic is surprisingly discreet, and his transmissions surprise his teammates, causing several ball losses.
Obviously, the “Joker” recovers after returning from the locker room, but Anthony Edwards is launched and the Nuggets will only see the backs of their opponents. The Minneapolis guard concludes his demonstration with a shot of the logo and his team validates a very large victory (133-104) in this “Rivals Week” in the NBA.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The physical domination of the Wolves. 72 points scored in the paint, compared to 58 for the Nuggets. Rebound domination (45-36). But above all this impression that Chris Finch's players were the aggressors all evening, and that Mike Malone's players only took the blows while waiting for it to pass.
– Rudy Gobert replied. In his register, the Frenchman undoubtedly made the perfect match. Shaken as he lacked energy and desire recently, the Wolves pivot responded perfectly with 14 points at 6/8, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 interceptions. His two offensive rebounds in quick succession, followed by a 3-pointer from Anthony Edwards, brought the Target Center to its feet in the third quarter, and symbolized his impact.
– No triple-double for Nikola Jokic. His streak of five consecutive triple-doubles came to an end, and it was surprisingly on the rebound that the “Joker” stalled. Like his teammates, he suffered the physical impact of his opponents, particularly in his transmissions, which were much less clean than usual.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
