Nuggets Fall at Home to T-Wolves Anew; Knicks Survive Pacers in Home Opener
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 07 May 2024
The Denver Nuggets continued with their inauspicious NBA title retention campaign, dropping a second game loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves via a 106-80 rout.
With the series going to Minnesota for the next two games, Denver is in danger of getting dethroned as early as this semi-final round as the Nuggets need to win four of the remaining five games in order to advance to the Western finals.
In the other semifinal series in the Eastern Conference, this time, the New York Knicks survived a down the wire shoot fest against the Indiana Pacers at the Madison Square Garden to win, 121-117, and maintain their homecourt advantage.
The Knicks were aided by an offensive foul by Pacers center Myles Turner and a rash of fouling by Indiana that sent them to the foul line in the last twenty seconds to clinch the win from a closely fought contest.
As in the first game which Denver lost, Nikola Jokic was bothered by the defense and physicality of a battery of T-Wolves big men despite the absence of Rudy Gobert who had to be with his wife for their newly born child.
Karl Anthony Towns, Naz Reid and Kyle Anderson alternated in guarding Jokic who was limited to only 16 points although he had as many rebounds and 8 assists.
Adding to the Nuggets woes was that ace scorer Jamal Murray continued to play below form as he was still not recovered fully from injury. Murray could only score 8 points.
Michael Porter Jnr also found difficulty against Minnesota defense and could only come up with 9 points.
Trying vainly to cover the slack, Aaron Gordon had 20 points with reserve Justin Holiday who scattered 13 points.
Towns and Anthony Edwards shared top scoring honors for Minnesota with 27 points each. Nickeil Alexander and Naz Reid contributed 14 points each.
New York and Indiana started the fourth quarter with a virtual shooting duel starring Jalen Brunson, Donte Divincenzo and Josh Hart for the Knicks and Turner, Aaron Nembhard, Andrew Nesmith and TJ McConnell for the Pacers with New York playing catch up.
But a Divincenzo's triple gave the lead to the Knicks and the role was reversed from then on.
The Pacers through Pascal Siakam, fought back and tied the score the last time before another Brunson jumper put New York ahead for good with less than 30 seconds left.
Indiana could have still tied the score but Turner was assessed an offensive foul and New York took advantage to extend their lead by making free throws on a rash of desperation fouls by the Pacers in between successful offense tries.
Brunson led Knicks with 43 points followed by Divincenzo and Hart with 25 points and 24 points, respectively. Center Hartenstein and OG Anunoby contributed 13 points each.
Indiana was led by Turner with 24 points followed by McConnell with 18 points. Siakam managed 17 points. Obi Toppin and Nembrand had 12 points each while Nesmith chipped in 11 points.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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