Timberwolves knock out Nuggets as Knicks storm into East semi-finals

Minneapolis: The Minnesota Timberwolves moved into the Western Conference semi-finals after beating the Denver Nuggets 110-98 on Thursday, while the New York Knicks produced a record-setting playoff performance to eliminate the Atlanta Hawks.

Sixth-seeded Minnesota completed a 4-2 series victory over the third-seeded Nuggets and will now face the San Antonio Spurs in the next round. The Timberwolves secured the result despite missing Anthony Edwards, who was sidelined with a bone bruise and a hyper-extended left knee.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, scored 28 points to lead his side, but Minnesota held on in a closely fought contest. Neither team opened up a double-digit advantage until the closing stages. The Timberwolves were ahead 57-50 at half-time before Jokic lifted Denver in the third quarter with 14 points to keep the game in the balance.

Jokic, who had already been ejected from game four for unsportsmanlike conduct following a shoving match, also drew the anger of the home crowd after another altercation, this time involving Jaylen Clark. With 90 seconds left and Minnesota leading by five, Jaden McDaniels hit a long two-point shot to energise the crowd and force a Denver timeout. After the Nuggets turned the ball over on the next possession, McDaniels added two free throws to seal the win.

McDaniels finished with a career-high 32 points, the most by any player in the game. Minnesota coach Chris Finch said, "It's a great night. It's a great victory for us. Hopefully. we've got 12 more to go," adding, "We came into these playoffs not trying to beat Denver, but trying to win a championship." Jokic said his team "just didn't do a good job," and added, "I needed to play better. I must play better." Edwards could return for Minnesota’s series against the Spurs.

In the Eastern Conference, the Knicks overwhelmed Atlanta 140-89 to wrap up their series 4-2 and become the first team to reach the conference semi-finals. New York will next face either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks set several marks in the one-sided victory. Their 140 points were their highest total in a playoff game, and the 51-point winning margin was their biggest post-season victory. New York led by as many as 61 points before resting its starters in the final quarter. At half-time, the Knicks were ahead 83-36, a 47-point gap that was the widest in NBA post-season history.

OG Anunoby scored 29 points, including 26 in the first half, before being rested. None of New York’s starters played more than 29 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He said, "We can't just meet the moment, we've got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight."

Atlanta had briefly led 11-9 early in the game, but the Knicks quickly took control and were 40-15 ahead by the end of the first quarter. Hawks coach Quin Snyder said, "Obviously you hate to lose anything. And to lose the way we did, I think, particularly given the enthusiasm and support that we've had from the people in this building. disappointed on a lot of levels."

New York, which finished third in the Eastern Conference, had trailed 2-1 earlier in the series before recovering to win. It is the fourth straight year that the Knicks have reached the East semi-finals.

Elsewhere, the Celtics and 76ers series will go to a deciding seventh game in Massachusetts after Philadelphia beat Boston 106-93 to level the series at 3-3. Boston had been 3-1 up before the 76ers responded at home. Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points, Paul George had 23, and Joel Embiid, the 2023 Most Valuable Player, finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. It is the 23rd playoff series between Boston and Philadelphia, an NBA record.