Game Seven. Coined as the two best words in sports. An all-or-nothing, win-or-go-home game with legacies on the line. Some of the greatest moments in NBA history were created under the pressure of a Game Seven, including the Cavaliers vs Warriors 2016 NBA Finals featuring LeBron James' "Blocked By James" followed by Kyrie Irving's game winner, the Knicks vs Lakers 1970 NBA Finals featuring Willis Reed's miraculous comeback from a leg injury that led the Knicks to their first title, and the improbable Kawhi Leonard quadruple doink shot in the the 76ers and Raptors semifinals series that propelled the Raptors to a title, just to name a few. Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic have the chance to join these legends and write their names in the history books in Sunday’s Game Seven. Let’s try to get as prepared as possible for the marquee game of this postseason, the conclusion of this back-and-forth Timberwolves vs Nuggets series by seeing how we got here, the main X-Factors, my expectation for the game, and which team I think will make the Western Conference Finals.
How We Got Here
Game 1 (@ DEN) - 106-99 MIN W
The Anthony Edwards game and Naz Reid 4th quarter. Anthony Edwards scored a (then) playoff career high 43 points, and shot an impressive 17 of 29 from the floor. 'Ant-Man' carried the team during most of the game, but Naz Reid was the difference maker in the 4th quarter. Reid scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth, and when the game was tied at 84 he played a large part in their 18-7 run, including him scoring 10 straight points for Minnesota. For Denver, Jamal Murray struggled with the size and length the Timberwolves have and was held scoreless in the first half.
Game 2 (@ DEN) 106-80 MIN W
This is when I thought the series was over. DPOY Rudy Gobert missed this game due to the birth of his child and the defense actually looked better. Denver couldn't get anything going against the most smothering defensive performance I have ever seen. Jokic and Murray were atrocious scoring 16 and 8 points, respectively. Murray also should have been suspended after he threw two heat packs onto the court towards a referee, but he was only fined.
Game 3 (@ MIN) 117-90 DEN W
Jamal Murray seemed pretty glad that the NBA did not suspend him because he had his best game of the series with an efficient 24 point performance. Each Denver starter had double digit points, and their defense held Anthony Edwards to just 19 points. The Nuggets made us seem foolish for ever counting out the reigning champions.
Game 4 (@ MIN) 115-107 DEN W
Nikola Jokic's 35 and Aaron Gordon's 27 points outshined Anthony Edwards' new playoff career high of 44 points in a wildly entertaining game 4. Jokic seemed to prove that he was still the best player in the world consistently dominating Gobert every time they matched up, and scoring 16 of his 35 points in the 4th quarter.
Game 5 (@DEN) 112-97 DEN W
I have to admit I also thought the series was over after this game, and the Nuggets would go on to win in six games, as it seemed like the Nuggets were in control this entire game thanks to another dominant performance from the 3x MVP Nikola Jokic. Karl Anthony-Towns was in foul trouble early which forced Gobert to defend Jokic and it went horribly. Jokic put up an unimaginable stat line of 40 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists, and 0 turnovers. If there was still any doubt that he wasn't the best player in the NBA, it was completely shut down by this game 5 performance. Mike Conley also missed this game due to a calf injury, which might have led to Edwards overextending himself.
Game 6 (@ MIN) 115-70 MIN W
The most dominating performance of this series was in this game, as the Nuggets never had a chance. The Timberwolves had their backs against the wall, and proved they have the willpower of a championship team. Conley was back for this game and it seemed pretty important as the Wolves went on a 20-0 run in the first quarter where they looked unstoppable, and never looked back. Jamal Murray also seemed to injure his elbow during the game and struggled, scoring just 10 points, shooting 4-18 from the field.
X-Factors
Karl Anthony-Towns (Foul Trouble)
It is beyond clear that Gobert is not capable of defending Jokic one on one (to be fair not many are). Towns is a much better option on him because he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of Jokic, and it allows Gobert to use his tremendous length roaming the floor while playing off of Aaron Gordon. If Towns gets into early foul trouble the defense will falter and Jokic will put up another 40+ point performance, so KAT needs to be smart and in the words of Anthony Edwards "just stop f-ing fouling."
Jamal Murray (Health and Performance)
For the Nuggets it comes down to finding a way to fix Jamal Murray, as Murray has been the most volatile player of this series even before his injury. It is no coincidence that his worst games happen to be the games Denver has been blown out. He is averaging 15.7 PPG in this series, down from his season average of 21.2. He's not their best player on his team but when he's playing at a high level their offense looks close to unstoppable. Hopefully his elbow injury is what led to his horrible game 6 and he finds a way to be healthier by Sunday. If he is closer to the player he was last series against the Lakers they'll move onto the Western Conference Finals.
Game 7 Expectations
Jokic will continue to dominate Rudy Gobert if Towns doesn't stay out of foul trouble, so I expect Denver to go after KAT early, trying to feed The Joker in the post. If Jokic can get Gobert to switch onto him or draw quick fouls on KAT, he'll be able to have another dominant 40 point performance. Paired with even an average Jamal Murray performance should be enough for them to send the Timberwolves home. For Minnesota they obviously need KAT to stay out of foul trouble, but Mike Conley is also a major component in this game. Conley's veteran presence will be a key to a young and inexperienced Timberwolves team. I expect his perimeter defense to once again excel, and him to be aggressive early. His ability to easily get the ball up the court and be a true PG by getting the offense flowing well will once again allow Anthony Edwards to not have to handle getting everyone involved. He'll be free to be the lights out scorer he has proven he can be. Everything is set up for Anthony Edwards to have a legacy defining game in Denver, and while he may already be a special player and one of the most exciting players in the league, Game 7 is where special players become legends. I expect him to once again rise to the occasion and lead the Timberwolves to their second ever Western Conference Finals.
Photos by David Sherman (Getty Images), and NBATV
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