Alex Hunter breaks down his preview, prediction and pick for Thursday’s Game 3 between the Timberwolves and the Nuggets.
The Timberwolves are hosting the Nuggets on Thursday for Game 3 of this first-round series between the clubs. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Denver is favored by 2.5 points and this game carries a total of 233.5 points.
Let’s dive into my preview and pick for this matchup.
After the Nuggets took Game 1 by 11 points, the Timberwolves punched back in Game 2 on Monday. Denver led by as many as 19 points, but Minnesota fought back and prevailed by five points.
Anthony Edwards looked much healthier than in Game 1, scoring 30 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Julius Randle also finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 50% shooting, while Donte DiVincenzo posted 20 points, seven rebound and six assists. The wing went 4-of-7 on three-pointers, including a late trey with about a minute left in the fourth quarter to give Minnesota a four-point lead. DiVincenzo finished a team-best +20 in plus/minus.
On the other side, Nikola Jokic had another monster night with 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, and Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 30 points. Both Christian Braun and Tim Hardaway Jr. also added 16 points, but Aaron Gordon only finished with eight points, after scoring 17 points in Game 1.
One of the biggest differences in this contest was second chance points, as the Timberwolves outscored the Nuggets 20-3. Minnesota also out-rebounded Denver by six. The Nuggets bested the Timberwolves in both rebounding and second chance points in Game 1, and Denver ranked better in both categories in the regular season, so Denver losing these battles again in Game 3 is unlikely.
The Nuggets have led for the majority of this series and Denver is 4-2 vs. the Timberwolves this season with three of these wins coming by double-digits. The Nuggets had won 13 straight before Game 2, while Minnesota is just 5-5 in it’s last 10. Furthermore, Denver is an impressive 21-7 coming off a loss and 26-15 on the road this season.
The Timberwolves are going to be a confident bunch on their home floor after stealing Game 2, but the Nuggets should be well prepared. This should be another intense battle between these division rivals.
The Nuggets have been the better team all season and for most of this series. Denver hasn’t lost back-to-back games since early March, and this championship-winning group should get back on track with a road win tonight.
The Nuggets are 24-17 ATS on the road — which ranks second in the league — and Denver should be able to cover this small 2.5-point spread.
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