NBA Playoffs Picks 4/19 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets.

NBA Playoffs Picks 4/19 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets.

The 8-seed Minnesota Timberwolves take on the top-seed Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round series tonight on TNT. Denver leads 1-0 after hammering Minnesota 109-80 on Sunday night. Minnesota’s 80 points was the fewest they’ve scored in a game since November 19, 2016. These teams split four regular season meetings with the home team winning each game. Denver was the only higher seed to win their playoff home opener on Sunday. Denver is an 8.5 point favorite and the total is 223.5. 

GAME 1 RECAP + GAME STORYLINES

The Denver Nuggets established its dominance over Minnesota after halftime by outscoring them 32-14 in the third quarter and taking an 87-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter. All 5 of Denver’s starters scored in double figures led by Jamal Murray’s 24 points, he also added a team-high 8 assists.

It was Murray’s first playoff game since the October 2020 NBA bubble playoffs in Orlando. Murray missed Denver’s last two postseasons after tearing his ACL in April 2021. Forward Michael Porter Jr., who has also been hampered by injuries, finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The return of Murray and Porter Jr. this season is a big reason why Denver was the top team in the West for most of the season. 

The reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists in just 28 minutes. Denver’s balanced scoring from all 5 starters allowed Jokic to have what could be considered a modest game for his standards. Super-sub Bruce Brown scored 14 off the bench for Denver, he averaged 11.4 points across 80 games during the regular season. Brown has been an unsung player for Denver this season, whether he’s providing scoring off the bench or playing well in spot starts.

After some late-season turmoil and a fourth-quarter collapse against the Los Angeles Lakers in their first play-in game, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to regroup and blowout the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-95 in a win-or-go home play-in game on April 14.

Minnesota was unable to carry any momentum into Game 1 on Sunday as they shot just 37 percent from the floor and played one of their worst games of the season.  Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 18 points in the Game 1 loss, Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds but shot just 5 for 15 from the floor and had 4 turnovers. Rudy Gobert finished with 8 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Game 1 also featured two skirmishes between these teams that resulted in flagrant fouls. Minnesota’s Kyle Anderson received the first flagrant foul when he got tangled up and then threw an elbow at Christian Braun after Braun attempted a shot on a dead possession. Midway through the fourth quarter, Nikola Jokic was called for a flagrant foul after he inadvertently clotheslined Anthony Edwards as Edwards crossed him over. We’ll see if any sort of hard feelings carry over to tonight’s game.

THE PICK

Denver dominated Game 1 and I don’t see why anything should be that much different tonight, Lay the 8.5 with Denver!