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After pulling off the biggest stunner in the 2024 NBA Playoffs so far, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to make 2-0 against the Denver Nuggets. Minnesota’s 106-99 win on Saturday shocked many and put Denver on notice that the Timberwolves are different this year compared to last. Anthony Edwards and Co. have all the swagger and momentum leading into the rematch on Monday.
The Nuggets found it tough sledding to score against the best team defensively in the NBA in the regular season. Nikola Jokic had all sorts of trouble getting past Karl-Anthony Towns before trying to get past Rudy Gobert’s mile-high arms near the rim. Denver has to adjust and deal with the visitors’ physicality much better than they showed in the series opener.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets: Preview, prediction and betting tips
Ball Arena will again host the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. TNT will air the game on national TV while basketball fans can subscribe to the NBA League Pass to stream the action.
Moneyline: Timberwolves (+185) vs. Nuggets (-225)
Spread: Timberwolves (+5.5) vs. Nuggets (-5.5)
Total (O/U): Timberwolves (o205.5 -110) vs. Nuggets (u205.5 -110)
Editor’s Note: The odds could change closer to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of the writing.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets: Game preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves had an answer to everything the Denver Nuggets tried to do in Game 1, which was quite impressive. Minnesota’s elite defense bared its teeth for nearly the entire game, and kept Denver’s surgical offense out of sync. The Timberwolves can try to put the defending champs in an even deeper hole if they can replicate the same performance on Monday.
Nuggets coach Mike Malone bragged about the counters on offense in the first round if the LA Lakers adjusted their defense against Nikola Jokic. He didn’t have that same versatility against Minnesota’s unrelenting pressure and machine-like precision defensively. Denver will be in trouble if its usually efficient offense stutters again.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets: Starting lineups, subs and rotation
PF - Jaden McDaniels, C - Rudy Gobert, C - Karl-Anthony Towns, PG - Mike Conley and SG - Anthony Edwards will again start for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Naz Reid, the newly-minted NBA Sixth Man of the Year, will again come off the bench first. Reid’s size and shooting will be another tough issue to deal with for Denver when he takes out “KAT” or Gobert.
Mike Malone isn’t changing his starting unit of PF - Aaron Gordon, C - Nikola Jokic, SF - Michael Porter Jr., PG - Jamal Murray and SG - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
The Denver Nuggets could ask Christian Braun or Peyton Watson to give “KCP” a breather and have Anthony Edwards deal with a fresher defender. Justin Holiday could also join the mix for that much-needed role.
Editor’s Note: These are predicted starting lineups, which could change depending on the availability of players uncertain to play.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets: Betting tips
Anthony Edwards has 28.5 over/under points prop in Game 2. “Ant-Man” has been brutal against defenders since the last two games in the Phoenix series in the first round. He might not have another 40-point night but with the way he has been paying, topping 28 points might be in order.
Nikola Jokic has a 29.5 over/under point prop. The Timberwolves threw different bodies at “The Joker” and varied the coverage but he still went for 32 points in Game 1. Jokic, out of sheer necessity is likely getting over 29 points as Jamal Murray seems to be hobbled by a calf injury. The defending champ needs a big scoring night from him to try and even the series before it shifts to Minnesota.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets: Prediction
The Denver Nuggets can struggle at times, but they usually “out-clutch” their opponents late in the game. It didn’t happen in Game 1 but it could return in Game 2 as going to Minnesota down 0-2 is something they desperately want to avoid. Monday will be another end-to-end exchange of haymakers but the defending champs could walk away with a victory that also beats the +5.5 spread.
