Foul trouble is rarely a blessing in disguise.
It helped the Timberwolves steal a road game in the first chapter of what’s sure to be a bitterly competitive series.
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid entered off the bench with Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble, and his 10-point burst handed the Nuggets a 106-99 Game 1 loss on Saturday night.
This is the first time in the last two postseasons that Denver has trailed in a series. Game 2 is Monday at Ball Arena before the best-of-seven battle moves to Minneapolis.
The critical moment was a go-ahead 4-point play for Jamal Murray with 8:35 remaining. The initial 3-pointer tied the game; the free throw gave Denver the lead while Towns parked himself on the bench with his fifth foul. Reid, a more than capable backup center, filled in. And took over. Against the best starting five in the West.
He banked a fortuitous 3-pointer with 5:56 remaining to break an 84-all tie. On the next possession, he slammed home an offensive rebound. As the Timberwolves built up a large lead, he added a finger-roll and another 3 that doubled the lead. He finished the game with 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting.
Michael Porter Jr. scored an efficient 20 points, and Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 32 points on 25 shots. He turned the ball over seven times.
Towns was an integral part of Minnesota’s strong start to the second half after Aaron Gordon bottled him up early in the night, but Anthony Edwards was the game’s only consistent offensive force. He willed his way to 43 points on 17-for-29 shooting in a defensive rock fight.
The familiarity between these division foes, and between the individual characters dotting the matchup from the sidelines to front offices, prompted questions throughout the week about tactical navigation. Would the Nuggets and Timberwolves introduce new wrinkles and adjustments that they had saved just for this playoff occasion? Or would it be a more straightforward series strategically, with no secrets left to reveal?
“With the extra week of preparation, I guess both teams are able to kind of think a little deeper,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said before Game 1. “But I would imagine both teams are just gonna kind of be themselves and let it rip.”
Not exactly. Ninety minutes later, Minnesota started the series with its best wing defender, Jaden McDaniels, guarding Porter instead of the calf-hampered Jamal Murray. “I’m sure he’ll start off on Jamal,” Porter had said the day before. “But I feel comfortable with anyone guarding me. The way I play, I don’t feel like (McDaniels) will be able to block my shot or anything.”
Murray was hounded by Edwards, who made his first five shots and provided 13 of Minnesota’s points during an 18-4 start. But Porter was right about one thing, even if he was wrong about the matchup: It’s near impossible to disrupt his shooting rhythm with any amount of length or tenacity. He sank a difficult 3-pointer off a dribble handoff from Jokic to help ignite a 13-0 Nuggets answer.
By then, Towns had checked out of the game, leaving the Timberwolves in their secondary coverage of Jokic: an old-school post showdown with Rudy Gobert, who effectively roamed with interior help previously. Jokic accepted the invite to bang away at his longtime adversary. He settled into the game.
Even more notably, Denver’s unusual substitution pattern paid off early. Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday were the only bench players to check in during the first quarter, with Michael Malone saving Christian Braun and Peyton Watson for later. (Watson didn’t enter until after Jokic’s rest minutes, ensuring that Porter played the four with Malone’s second unit.) In a key stretch, Jackson dished a behind-the-back pass, picked Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s pocket for a fast-break lob, blew by Naz Reid for a layup, and drained a tough 3.
The Nuggets escaped the first quarter with a 25-23 lead. At halftime, it was 44-40 despite Jokic and Murray combining to shoot 5 for 19. Murray hadn’t scored a point. Edwards had 25 at the break while his teammates had 15.
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