DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards overcame a slow start and the Timberwolves roared back from a 20-point second-half deficit to eliminate the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets 98-90 in a Game 7 Minnesota masterpiece on Sunday night.
The Timberwolves overcame a 15-point halftime deficit — the largest comeback in a Game 7 in NBA playoff history — behind Edwards, who had just four points, no rebounds and three assists at halftime but finished with 16 points, eight boards and seven assists.
His impact belied his 6-of-24 shooting that included a 2-for-10 3-point performance.
As the seconds ticked away, Edwards dribbled the ball upcourt and took time to wave good-bye to the crowd.
The Wolves, who got 23 points each from Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels, advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time in exactly 20 years. They’ll face the Dallas Mavericks beginning Wednesday night at Target Center.
The Nuggets became the fifth consecutive defending champion to fail to reach the conference finals. Behind Jamal Murray’s 24 first-half points, the Nuggets raced to a 53-38 halftime lead and Murray’s 3-pointer with 10:50 left in the third pushed Denver’s lead to 58-38.
PACERS 130, KNICKS 109
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points and Indiana rode one of the most sensational first halves in Game 7 history to a victory over New York, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 10 years.
The Pacers made 29 of their 38 shots in the first half, a shooting percentage of 76.3% that was the highest in the postseason since 1997, when the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters. They led 70-55 at that point and pulled away every time the Knicks tried to make a run in the second half.
The No. 6-seeded Pacers set an NBA playoff record by finishing at 67.1% for the game and advanced to face top-seeded Boston in a series that begins Tuesday. Indiana last reached the conference finals in 2014, losing to Miami.
Jalen Brunson left in the second half with a broken left hand, one final injury for a Knicks team that was decimated by them.
They got OG Anunoby back Sunday after he missed the previous four games with a strained left hamstring, but he clearly wasn’t moving well and was taken out of the game after just five minutes.
Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard each scored 20 points and Aaron Nesmith was 8 for 8 en route to his 19 for the Pacers.
The Associated Press
