Edwards and Randle rally
Timberwolves past Nuggets 119-114 to even series at 1 apiece
[April 21, 2026]
By ARNIE STAPLETON
DENVER (AP) — A big early deficit in Denver didn't bother the
Minnesota Timberwolves, who two years ago staged the biggest Game 7
comeback in NBA history, clawing out of a 20-point hole to beat the
Nuggets and advance to the Western Conference finals.
This time, they overcame a 19-point deficit, rallying past the
Nuggets 119-114 on Monday night behind 30 points from Anthony
Edwards and 24 from Julius Randle to tie their first-round playoff
series at one game each.
“Just coming together, staying poised within those moments," Edwards
said.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points for Denver, which had won 13 straight
games since losing on March 18. The Nuggets jumped out to a 44-25
lead early in the second quarter only to see a potential laugher
quickly turn into a head-scratcher.
After outscoring the Wolves 39-25 in the first, the Nuggets watched
Minnesota flip that exact score in the second period.
“So, basically same quarters, first and second, just opposite
teams,” said Nikola Jokic, who had 24 points, 15 boards and eight
assists for the Nuggets.
After a slow start, Edwards looked much better than he did during
his 22-point effort in Game 1, when his rust from a bum knee was
apparent. This time, he drove to the basket more instead of settling
for jumpers, fueling the comeback.
“He was awesome. It was unbelievable,” Timberwolves coach Chris
Finch said. “Also in that (first) period when we were down, he was
great on the bench. Great leadership, positive. He recognized he
needed to get into attack mode and get downhill a little bit more.
He did that."
Denver blew a chance to take control against its Northwest Division
rival. The Nuggets are 8-0 in their history when winning the first
two games of a playoff series, and the Wolves are 0-8 when dropping
Games 1 and 2.
Edwards turned the ball over with 31 seconds left and Christian
Braun got fouled at the other end after Jokic passed up a floater to
tie it. Braun missed one of two free throws, leaving Denver trailing
115-114 with 19 seconds remaining.
[to top of second column] |
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives to the
basket against Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during the
second half in Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball
series Monday, April 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Randle then sank two free throws and Donte
DiVincenzo added a breakaway dunk to cap the comeback.
“I trust C.B. to make free throws,” Denver coach
David Adelman said. “It rimmed out. That happens in the NBA. You're
going to have moments that you don't want to remember. That's a
tough moment for C.B. after playing such a good game."
Murray sank a 51-foot 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to tie it at
64. Jokic came on strong after a quiet start, scoring 16 points in
the third quarter when Denver took a 93-90 lead. But the Nuggets'
All-Star duo shot a combined 2 for 12 in the fourth quarter as the
Wolves evened a best-of-seven series that shifts to Minneapolis for
Game 3 on Thursday night.
“I feel like we had the game in hand,” Murray said, “and then we
just didn't make our shots.”
Jaden McDaniels, who added 14 points for the Wolves, said the key to
Minnesota's bounce-back was going "after Jokic, Jamal, all the bad
defenders. Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team,
just go at them. Yeah, they’re all bad defenders.”
Before tipoff, Finch complained for a third straight day about the
free-throw disparity in Game 1, when the Nuggets outscored Minnesota
30-14 from the stripe. He cracked that maybe his players need to
“start flopping, too.”
Each team went to the line 30 times Monday night.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
