The Western Conference first round series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets is officially on even footing after a dramatic Game 2 comeback Monday night, as Minnesota erased a 19-point deficit to claim a 119–114 victory and tie the best-of-seven matchup at one game apiece.
After struggling with rhythm in the opener, Anthony Edwards looked every bit like Minnesota’s franchise centerpiece in Game 2, pouring in 30 points and attacking the rim with authority. His aggressive approach helped spark a turnaround that flipped the momentum of the series. Julius Randle added 24 points, including clutch free throws in the final seconds that helped seal the comeback.
Denver appeared poised to take firm control early. Behind hot shooting and strong ball movement, the Nuggets raced to a 44–25 lead early in the second quarter after opening the game with a dominant 39–25 first period. But what looked like it might become a runaway quickly turned into a head-scratcher as Minnesota responded with a mirror image 39–25 second quarter to pull even at halftime.
The momentum swings continued throughout the night. Jamal Murray electrified the home crowd by drilling a stunning 51-foot buzzer-beating 3-pointer to tie the game at 64 at the break. Later, Nikola Jokic took over in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his 24 points in the period while adding 15 rebounds and eight assists to push Denver back ahead 93–90 entering the fourth.
But the final quarter belonged to Minnesota.
Despite their star power, Denver’s All-Star duo of Jokic and Murray combined to shoot just 2-for-12 in the fourth quarter, opening the door for the Timberwolves to complete their rally. Edwards’ downhill drives repeatedly pressured the defense, helping Minnesota chip away at the deficit and eventually take control late.
The closing moments were tense. Edwards committed a turnover with 31 seconds remaining, giving Denver a chance to respond. After Jokic passed up a potential tying floater, Christian Braun drew a foul but made only one of two free throws, leaving the Nuggets trailing 115–114 with 19 seconds left. Randle calmly knocked down two free throws on the next possession, and Donte DiVincenzo finished a breakaway dunk to cap the comeback and secure the win.
Jaden McDaniels chipped in 14 points for Minnesota in a balanced supporting effort that helped stabilize the team during key stretches.
Game 2 also featured a notable shift at the free-throw line. After Minnesota was outscored 30–14 from the stripe in Game 1 prompting Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to joke beforehand that his players might need to “start flopping, too” both teams attempted 30 free throws Monday night, eliminating one of Denver’s advantages from the opener.
The loss snapped Denver’s 13-game winning streak dating back to March 18 and denied the Nuggets a chance to maintain their perfect postseason mark when winning the first two games of a series (previously 8–0). It also kept Minnesota from falling to 0–8 historically after dropping the first two games of a playoff matchup.
Instead, the Timberwolves head home with renewed confidence and the series tied when Game 3 shifts to Minneapolis on Thursday night.
