Minnesota Timberwolves lead Nuggets 2-0 in Western Conference semifinals

(CNN) — The Minnesota Timberwolves opened a 2-0 lead over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals with a stunning 106-80 victory in Game 2 on Monday.

The defending champion Nuggets had no answer for Minnesota’s electric duo of Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, who both scored 27 points in the rout.

The Timberwolves had to deal with the absence of big man Rudy Gobert – a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, who missed the game due to the birth of his child – but didn’t miss a beat on defense, limiting Denver to 34.9% shooting. ground.

With the series now returning to Minnesota for two games, the T-Wolves are on track to reach a first Western Conference final in 20 years.

Only five teams in NBA history have come back to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games at home, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

“We’re extremely honored and blessed to have this opportunity to go home 2-0, but we’re humble in this approach,” Towns said after the game, according to ESPN. “We understand that we have put ourselves in a great position, but as good as the position we are in, it could be very bad (if we don’t win) our home stay.

Anthony Edwards has been on fire so far in the playoffs. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports / Reuters via CNN Newsource

“So we just have to go out there, take care of business, do what we do, play defense at a high level and execute even at a higher level because the defending champions, you can’t give them a minute of slippage in the game.”

Denver’s lethal duo of Jamal Murray and two-time MVP Nikola Jokić struggled throughout the game under a stifling Timberwolves defense, the NBA’s best during the regular season, that head coach Chris Finch polished to perfection so far this series.

Murray, Denver’s hero with two game-winning goals in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers, scored just eight points on 16.7 percent shooting, while Jokić had a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds to go with eight assists, but shot just 5 of 13 from the floor.

Murray also should have been penalized for a technical foul for throwing a heating pad onto the field while the game was live during the second quarter, but the incident went undetected by officials.

Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 points.

The series now heads to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday.

Brunson leads Knicks to Game 1 win over Pacers

Jalen Brunson became just the fourth player in NBA playoff history to win four straight 40-point games as he racked up 43 in the New York Knicks’ 121-117 victory in the first game against the Indiana Pacers.

Brunson scored 21 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks come back from a nine-point deficit early in the period.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 25 points, including a three-point basket with 40 seconds left, while Josh Hart added 24 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and three steals.

Miles Turner scored a team-high 23 points for the Pacers, but star guard Tyrese Haliburton’s playoff struggles continued as he scored just six points in the loss.

There were a number of controversial officiating decisions during the streak, including a call for a punted ball on Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith that clearly hit his hand, while Turner was called for dubious way for an illegal screen.

Both teams return to Madison Square Garden for Game 2 on Wednesday.

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