The war of words is picking up between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.
The battle on the court should be even better.
The Timberwolves and Nuggets will resume their high-stakes rivalry when the teams tip off in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff matchup Thursday night in Minneapolis. The best-of-seven series is even after Denver won the series opener and Minnesota bounced back to take Game 2.
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels added some spice to the series with his comments after Game 2. He said the Nuggets could not stop Minnesota from scoring at will.
“They’re all bad defenders,” McDaniels said. “They don’t got people who can defend the rim. Even if (Nikola Jokic) is there, we’re more athletic than them.”
Nuggets coach David Adelman fired back Wednesday when asked about the remarks.
“I can’t wait for his podcast,” Adelman said in a sarcastic tone. “He’s a really good player. Everyone has a sounding board these days. It’ll help his social media.”
Nuggets guard Cam Johnson did not seem surprised by McDaniels’ comments. He said it was part of a pattern by the Timberwolves that went back many months.
“They’ve just been saying a lot,” Johnson said. “All season, all series. Let them talk. Let them get everything they want off their chest.”
The neck-and-neck series offered plenty of drama before the trash-talking went public.
Anthony Edwards will try to find his shooting rhythm in Game 3. He is shooting 38.6% from the field and 25% from 3-point range in the series, which is well off his regular-season averages.
Edwards is averaging a team-high 26 points per game in the playoffs despite his inconsistent shot. Julius Randle is next with 20 points per game in the series, and McDaniels rounds out the top three playoff scorers with 15 points per game.
For the Nuggets, Murray leads the way with 30 points per game in the series. He has dominated at the free-throw line but struggled from the field, shooting 38.3% overall and 27.3% from beyond the arc.
Jokic is averaging 24.5 points, 14 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the series. Christian Braun is third with 14 points per game, and he has knocked down 50% of his 3-point attempts.
Johnson said he and his Nuggets teammates had full confidence heading into Game 3 despite losing the previous contest.
“It’s the playoffs,” Johnson said. “Unless you really expected to win 16 in a row really easy, something’s going to happen. It’s the playoffs. You have to bounce back. You know what I’m saying? It’s like a non-negotiable. It’s part of the process.”
Timberwolves Donte DiVincenzo will look to stay hot after knocking down a key 3-pointer late in Game 2. He did not hesitate when asked to describe what he loves about playing in the playoffs.
“It’s fun,” DiVincenzo said. “You see the energy out there. Big moments. That’s what you grow up dreaming about.”
Minnesota went 26-15 on its home court during the regular season. Denver posted the identical 26-15 record on the road.
