The Denver Nuggets used strong halftime adjustments in Game 1 on Saturday to secure a 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, setting the tone for a competitive Western Conference quarterfinal series. Minnesota will now look to respond in Game 2 on Monday night as it tries to even the series before returning home for Games 3 and 4.

Minnesota struggled badly during a critical stretch in the third quarter, missing 14 of its first 16 shots as Denver built a 15-point lead. The Timberwolves fought back and cut the deficit to 97-95 in the fourth quarter, but key turnovers allowed Denver to regain control and close out the game.

Although it is only one loss, the No. 6 seed Timberwolves know the importance of stealing a road win against the No. 3 seed Nuggets to shift momentum. “No one wants to have a moral victory, but we understand we had every opportunity to win that game and down the stretch, we cut it to two. We just have to be better,” said Ayo Dosunmu.

Discipline and defensive composure will be key for Minnesota moving forward. Jaden McDaniels provided a spark with a turnaround jumper that ended a third-quarter scoring drought, but frustration boiled over when he was assessed a technical foul for pushing Nikola Jokic after the play.

The Timberwolves committed 25 fouls that led to 33 free-throw attempts for Denver. Jamal Murray capitalized fully, scoring 16 points from the line without a miss as the Nuggets committed just three turnovers from the stripe overall.

Minnesota’s hopes in the series also depend heavily on star guard Anthony Edwards. Head coach Chris Finch noted that Edwards looked “rusty” after missing significant time late in the regular season due to a knee issue. Edwards finished Game 1 with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks, but admitted fatigue affected his performance.

“I haven’t played in like a month, month and a half, so I was a little fatigued,” Edwards said.

Denver, meanwhile, is working toward full strength, hoping forward Peyton Watson can return from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since early April. Even without him, the Nuggets remain in strong form behind Jokic and Murray.

Nikola Jokic recorded another playoff triple-double in Game 1—his 22nd career postseason triple-double—while Murray added 30 points despite an inefficient shooting night, going 7-for-22 from the field.

Denver has been on a surge since mid-March, closing the regular season with 12 consecutive wins to secure the No. 3 seed. The team now faces Minnesota for the third time in four postseason matchups, further fueling a growing rivalry.

“I think some people say it’s the same teams. I don’t think it’s the same teams,” Jokic said. “People are more experienced, different players. One player can change the whole situation, the whole rotation, the whole momentum of the team.” -Field Level Media/Reuters