Timberwolves storm back down 20 to take Game 7 from Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves completed a 20-point comeback against the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, to capture a 98-90 Game 7 victory and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004.

The Timberwolves rallied back from being down 20 points early in the third quarter to complete the largest comeback in a Game 7 in NBA history, led by star guard Anthony Edwards. Edwards finished the contest with 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. However, his presence was most felt in the Timberwolves' 21-3 run in the third quarter to bring the game within four points, where Edwards scored or assisted on five of the seven baskets. The Timberwolves continued their run into the fourth quarter, eventually taking the lead after outsourcing the Nuggets 37-14 on their miraculous run.

After struggling in the first half, scoring 19 points in each of the first two quarters, Minnesota flipped the switch in the second half, not only offensively but also on the defensive end of the ball. The Timberwolves outscored the Nuggets 28-14 in the third quarter, holding the defending NBA Champions to under 15 points, which is only the second individual quarter all season where the Nuggets have failed to reach 15 points.

Minnesota forwards Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves in scoring, finishing the game with 23 points, and Towns grabbed 12 rebounds to record the team’s only double-double. McDaniels was a crucial part of Minnesota’s run when he knocked down two back-to-back three-pointers from the same corner in the third quarter, both assisted by Edwards, to spark Minnesota’s historic run. All five of the Timberwolves’ starters scored 10+ points, including NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Naz Reid, who delivered 11 points for Minnesota off the bench.