Timberwolves and Pacers Triumph in Stunning Game Sevens, Advance to Conference Finals

The Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the defending NBA champions Denver Nuggets 98-90 in a thrilling Game Seven on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers set an NBA playoff record with a shooting percentage of 67.1% to eliminate the New York Knicks, 130-109, at Madison Square Garden.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels also contributed 23 points. Anthony Edwards found his stride late in the game, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the second half, helping Minnesota become the first team to come back from a halftime deficit of more than 11 points to win a Game Seven.

Edwards credited their poise and the guidance of coach Chris Finch for their victory. “If they’re going to continue to trap you, you got to make the right play and trust your teammates,” Edwards said, emphasizing the importance of playing quicker as advised by Finch. 

“We was just poised throughout the entire game. We just fought, fought. And KAT played spectacular tonight. He carried us tonight.”

The Timberwolves, trailing by 15 at halftime and by 20 early in the third quarter, rallied as Denver went cold. Minnesota cut the deficit to one point by the end of the third quarter and took the lead for good on Rudy Gobert’s driving layup at the start of the fourth.

Nikola Jokic, the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, scored 34 points and added 19 rebounds and seven assists for Denver, while Jamal Murray scored 35 points. Despite their efforts, both players acknowledged that the Nuggets missed too many shots. “I felt like we got the shots we wanted and the opportunities were there,” Murray said.

The Timberwolves, who had stunned the Nuggets with two wins in Denver to open the series before dropping three straight games, clinched the series with a decisive Game Six win and their final comeback triumph. “This is a hell of a team with the best player on the planet. The series was wild, and this game was just a microcosm of the series,” Finch remarked.

Minnesota will now face the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals, while the Pacers advance to play the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 26 points, while Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard each added 20 points in a game that saw six Pacers players score in double figures. Donte DiVincenzo was the standout for the Knicks, hitting nine three-pointers and scoring 39 points. Jalen Brunson added 17 points and nine assists before exiting with a broken left hand early in the fourth quarter.

The Pacers’ offensive display in the first half was breathtaking, making 29 of their 38 shots for a 76.3% shooting percentage. Despite the Knicks cutting a 15-point halftime deficit to six early in the third quarter, the Pacers maintained control and quickly extended their lead.

“Just a great game overall, top to bottom for us,” Haliburton said. “We hadn’t won on the road all series — we just found a way.”

The Knicks, hampered by injuries, saw OG Anunoby return but depart early due to a hamstring injury, while Josh Hart played through an abdominal strain. Coach Tom Thibodeau praised his team’s effort despite the loss. “Guys gave everything they had, and that’s all you could ask. It was a battle all year and there was nothing left to give at the end,” Thibodeau said.

With these victories, both the Timberwolves and the Pacers move forward with high hopes for their respective conference finals.