Donte DiVincenzo left the game minutes in with what’s reportedly a torn Achilles. Anthony Edwards exited with a knee injury in the second quarter.
None of it mattered. Not on Saturday, anyway, as the Timberwolves fought, scratched and clawed in the second half to turn a four-point halftime deficit into a stirring 112-96 victory at Target Center to claim a 3-1 lead.
“Wolves in five” chants reverberated around the arena in the game’s closing minutes.
That may be tough to achieve, particularly if Edwards is out for extended time. But you can’t put anything past these scrappy Wolves after the performance they gutted out Saturday.
Ayo Dosunmu led the charge with 43 points, including a pair of late free-throws during which the trade deadline acquistionn was serenaded with “MVP” chants from his rapidly growing fan base.
The secondary star was Minnesota’s relentless defense, which again wore down and decimated a Nuggets’ offense that was No. 1 in the NBA this season.
Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, no one for Denver could impose his will over the final two frames, seemingly bothered by the playoff-level of physicality that Minnesota has proven itself capable of producing more often than most.
Denver went 6 for 21 from the field in the third quarter, and 3 for 16 in the fourth.