Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Game 1: Western Conference Playoffs – Second round
The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves are opening the second round series tonight at Ball Arena.
Are the Timberwolves for real?
The Minnesota Timberwolves won their first playoff series in 20 years, and they did it with style. The Phoenix Suns looked like a tough team to beat with all those superstars on the roster, but Anthony Edwards showcased his full talent, leading the Timberwolves to a 4-0 win. The Suns stood no chance in any of the four games of the series, and it seems like only the sky is the limit for Minnesota.
The Nuggets are still the team to beat
The Denver Nuggets are the defending champions, and they proved their class in the opening round against the Los Angeles Lakers. They did lose a game, but they also proved they were tough to beat in clutch time. Jamal Murray hit two game-winners in that series, proving that the Nuggets are much more than Nikola Jokic. The Joker, though, is close to a triple-double record every single night, and no one has yet found a way to slow him down.
Betting Trends
Denver has won 7 of the last 10 games against Minnesota and 6 of the last 7 home games against them. The Nuggets are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games overall and 7-0 SU in their last 7 home games. The Timberwolves are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games overall.
Prediction and Conclusion
Anthony Edwards has been the top story of the playoffs so far, and it will be interesting to see if he is capable of leading the Timberwolves over the defending champions. The Denver Nuggets had no real problems in the opening round against the Los Angeles Lakers and it seems like they are picking up the form just as much as they need to move forward. The Timberwolves youth and high energy will be more difficult to handle than the Lakers. However, the Nuggets are still the team to beat in the West. Nikola Jokic is the best player in the league, and he has been dominating Rudy Gobert in the past. One of the best defenders in the game had no chance against the Joker, and that will be the key factor in this series. The Nuggets are an experienced and well-balanced team, and they will set the tone tonight by taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
