Timberwolves force Game 7 with Game 6 blowout
Anthony Edwards leads charge against Nuggets
Minnesota avoids elimination with 115-70 victory
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves avoided elimination from the NBA playoffs in spectacular fashion on Thursday, blowing out defending Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets, 115-70, in Game 6.
Anthony Edwards scored 27 points to pull the Timberwolves out of their mid-series slump and deliver a flawless victory. Minnesota led by double digits for most of the game and by as many as 45 points in the fourth quarter, holding Denver to just 32.8% shooting from the field.
The decisive Game 7 will be Sunday in Denver. The time is still to be determined. If the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers on Friday, the Wolves game will be at 3:30 p.m. MDT. Otherwise, it will start at 8 p.m. MDT.
The Timberwolves, who lost the first two games of the series at home, have now won three straight to force a Game 7. They are the first team to win three straight games in the playoffs after losing the first two at home since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, who went on to win the NBA championship that season.
The Nuggets, who were looking to close out the series and advance to the second round, were led by Nikola Jokic's 18 points. But Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP, was just 7-of-19 from the field and had six turnovers.
The Timberwolves were led by Edwards' 27 points. D'Angelo Russell added 21 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Timberwolves shot 47.7% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range. The Nuggets shot just 32.8% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range.
The Timberwolves outrebounded the Nuggets 51-38 and had 11 turnovers to Denver's 14.
The Timberwolves will now have a chance to win the series in Denver on Sunday. The Nuggets will be looking to avoid a disappointing end to their season and advance to the second round.
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