The Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to overcome a 10-point deficit in the final four minutes of Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets to win 119-116.
Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker put up eight points, including a 25-foot step back jump shot early in Minnesota’s rally to get within seven points of Denver.
His shot came two minutes after Denver’s Christian Braun posterized Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, causing tempers to flare on the court. Braun dunked on Gobert with 5:14 left in the game and then got in Gobert’s face under the net. Gobert put Braun in a headlock and then pushed him away, prompting the officials and members of each team to intervene.
Officials said Braun committed an unsportsmanlike act by taunting Gobert, who they ruled made unnecessary contact. Both players were issued technical fouls.
Minnesota gained ground on Denver on star guard Anthony Edwards’ 3-pointer and then a driving jump shot to take the lead with 25 seconds left. Gobert cemented the Timberwolves’ lead with two free throws before Nuggets star center Nikola Jokić missed a 3-point attempt to tie the game as the clock wound down.
ANT GIVES MINNESOTA THE LEAD 🚨
HE’S GOT 29 PTS 🔥
DENVER BALL… 25.7 SECONDS LEFT on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/JgMjmm6Yvy
— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2024
Friday marked the Nuggets’ first trip to Target Center in Minneapolis since the Wolves rallied from a 20-point deficit on the road in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals last season. With Friday’s win, the Timberwolves improved to 3-2 and the Nuggets fell to 2-3.
Edwards finished with 29 points, four assists and four rebounds, while Gobert put up 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon paced Denver with 31 points and 11 rebounds, and Jokić added 26 points.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Matt Blewett / Imagn Images)
