NBA Playoffs Picks 4/23 – Denver Nuggets @ Minnesota Timberwolves

NBA Playoffs Picks 4/23 – Denver Nuggets @ Minnesota Timberwolves

by Thomas Quaynor – NBA analyst for Wannamakeabet.com

The top seed Denver Nuggets go for the sweep against the 8-seed Minnesota Timberwolves tonight on TNT. Denver is a 3.5 point favorite and the total is 225. If Denver wins tonight, it would be the first playoff sweep in the franchise’s 47-year history. The reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic had his seventh career triple-double in the Game 3 win finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Michael Porter Jr. scored a team-high 25 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for Denver. Minnesota star guard Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 36 points in a losing effort.

SERIES RECAP + GAME STORYLINES

Denver won Game 1 by 29 points and withstood second half rallies to win Games 2 and 3  by 9 points each. Denver shooting guard Jamal Murray has elevated his game in the postseason, increasing his points per game average from 20.0 in the regular season to 27.3 against Minnesota, he scored 40 points in Game 2. Nikola Jokic (20.0 pts, 11.3 rebs, 9.0 asts) and Michael Porter Jr. (19.7 pts, 8.7 rebs, 1.0 stls) are also having their way with Minnesota through the first 3 games. 

The lone bright spot for Minnesota in this series has been the play of 21-year-old Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 31.7 points per game. He put up 41 in the 122-113 loss in Game 2 and he’s quickly establishing himself as one of the best young players in the NBA. After scoring just 21 points over the first two games for Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 27 in Game 3. The 2022-2023 season has been a forgettable one for the three-time All-Star Towns as a calf injury limited him to just 29 games and led to him having his worst statistical season since his rookie year in 2016. 

Minnesota lost two key role players to the same injury before the playoffs started. Center Naz Reid and forward Jaden McDaniels both suffered a broken hand late in the season. Reid is a stretch big man who averaged a career-high 11.5 points per game off the bench and knocked down a career-high 75 three-pointers. McDaniels averaged 12.1 points per game in 79 starts and was Minnesota’s best defender. Both players could have made a big difference in this series 

THE PICK

I think Minnesota is ready for vacation and does not want to travel back to Colorado for a game on Tuesday night, Denver wins this one easily, lay the 3.5!