Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 09/05/2024, 17:54  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 09/05/2024 at 17:55 in NBA Predictions

The second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets will head to the Target Center for Game 3 on Friday night. The Timberwolves return home with a 2-0 lead. 

After securing a 2-0 lead with consecutive wins in Denver, the series moves to Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves have an opportunity to close out the series at Target Center and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades. In Game 2, the Timberwolves triumphed 106-80, led by Anthony Edwards' 27 points. The defensive strength demonstrated by Minnesota this season has been truly remarkable, and it appears to have improved further during the playoffs. The defensive performance in the second game of this series, in particular, was exemplary, even with the absence of four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Any doubts about the Timberwolves' ability to contain Nikola Jokic seem to have been dispelled over the first two games. However, Anthony Edwards remains the standout player and driving force behind the team, receiving solid support from Karl-Anthony Towns, who has exhibited exceptional quality on both ends of the court. Despite Gobert's status remaining uncertain and Jaylen Clarke being sidelined with an Achilles injury, the Timberwolves are favored by 4.5 points in this one. 

It's reasonable to suggest that if the Denver Nuggets fail to secure a victory here, we could witness a change in the title holder this season. Teams trailing by three games in a series have never managed to overturn the deficit in 155 attempts in the past, and they've only forced a Game 7 on four occasions. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is facing significant challenges in this series, constantly encountering double-teams, which have evidently disrupted his rhythm. However, he hasn't received much support from the likes of Jamal Murray, whose heroics in the previous round now seem a distant memory. Murray's shooting performance during the playoffs has been disappointing, with a field goal percentage of only 37.5% and shooting below 30% from three-point range. Aaron Gordon's contributions have also been lackluster, with the Denver Nuggets trailing by 56 points in the two games he's played in. Still, despite Denver's struggles in the first two games of this series, underestimating the defending champions would be unwise. If Jokic can successfully involve his teammates in the game, the Timberwolves could find themselves in trouble. Vlatko Cancar is the only player listed as unavailable for the Nuggets in this matchup.