Denver Nuggets vs Timberwolves Match Player Stats – Timberwolves Stun Defending Champs 98-90 in Historic Game 7 Comeback

The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Game 7 history, erasing a 20-point second‑half deficit to stun the defending champion Denver Nuggets 98‑90 on May 19, 2024. Box scores began circulating within minutes of the final buzzer, revealing the raw numbers behind one of the most stunning playoff upsets in recent memory.

The final score — Timberwolves 98, Nuggets 90 — marked the first time in NBA history that a team trailed by 20 or more points in the second half of a Game 7 and still advanced. Here is the complete denver nuggets vs timberwolves match player stats breakdown from that unforgettable Western Conference semifinal.

Pre‑match expectations were sky‑high for Denver, who entered as the defending champions and had won three straight to force a decisive Game 7 at Ball Arena. Nikola Jokić, the freshly minted three‑time MVP, looked poised to lead another deep playoff run alongside Jamal Murray. The Timberwolves, conversely, were the young upstarts — built on defense, anchored by Anthony Edwards and Karl‑Anthony Towns. The result shocked the basketball world not only because of the 20‑point swing, but because it ended Denver’s championship reign on its own home floor.

Disclaimer: *This is a highlight/statistics recap of Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets — 2024 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals Game 7. All content is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Stats and footage belong to their respective owners.*

Teams, Lineup & Game Details

Detail	Information
Event	2024 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals — Game 7
Date	May 19, 2024
Venue	Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Start Time	8:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. MT
Attendance	19,808
Game Duration	2 hours, 38 minutes
Series Status	Timberwolves win series 4-3
Officials	Marc Davis, James Williams, Pat Fraher
Final Score	Minnesota Timberwolves 98 – Denver Nuggets 90

The Ball Arena crowd, initially electric, fell into stunned silence as the Timberwolves relentlessly clawed back from a 58‑38 deficit midway through the third quarter.

Key Players & Starting Lineups

Team	Key Hitters / Scorers	Key Pitchers / Defenders
Minnesota Timberwolves	Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels	Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards
Denver Nuggets	Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr.	Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nikola Jokić

Inning‑by‑Inning / Quarter‑by‑Quarter Scoring Breakdown

Period	Timberwolves Points	Nuggets Points	Cumulative MIN	Cumulative DEN
1st	19	24	19	24
2nd	19	29	38	53
3rd	28	14	66	67
4th	32	23	98	90
Final	98	90	Total: 98	Total: 90

The third‑quarter swing (28‑14 in favor of Minnesota) completely reversed the momentum and set the stage for the historic finish.

The 3rd Period: 28 Runs That Rewrote History

After trailing by as many as 20 points early in the third quarter, the Timberwolves unleashed a ferocious 28‑14 period that silenced the Ball Arena crowd. Below is a play‑by‑play breakdown of the key scoring events that turned the tide:

Play	Scoring Event	Score MIN	Score DEN
10:41 3Q	Karl-Anthony Towns 16-foot jumper	40	58
8:12 3Q	Jaden McDaniels 3-pointer (Conley assist)	45	60
5:47 3Q	Anthony Edwards driving layup	51	62
4:09 3Q	Naz Reid 3-pointer (Edwards assist)	56	64
1:55 3Q	Rudy Gobert alley-oop dunk (Conley assist)	60	65
0:42 3Q	Mike Conley 3-pointer (Towns assist)	66	67

The Nuggets’ offense, so dominant in the first half, suddenly collapsed under the weight of Minnesota’s relentless defensive pressure. Nikola Jokić managed only two field goals in the period, while Jamal Murray was held scoreless. The Timberwolves forced three Denver turnovers in the quarter and held the Nuggets to 6‑of‑21 shooting (28.6%). It was the single most lopsided period of the series — and it changed everything.

Standout Performances & Player Highlights

Player	Team	Stats (PTS-REB-AST-STL-BLK)
Jamal Murray	DEN	35 pts (13-27 FG), 3 reb, 3 ast
Nikola Jokić	DEN	34 pts (13-28 FG), 19 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk
Karl-Anthony Towns	MIN	23 pts (8-14 FG), 12 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk
Jaden McDaniels	MIN	23 pts (7-10 FG, 3-4 3PT), 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl
Anthony Edwards	MIN	16 pts (6-24 FG), 8 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl
Rudy Gobert	MIN	13 pts (3-7 FG), 9 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk

Jamal Murray carried Denver’s offense with a game‑high 35 points, but he managed only three points in the decisive fourth quarter as Minnesota’s defense tightened. Karl‑Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels combined for 46 points on 15‑of‑24 shooting, providing the scoring punch that Edwards’ off night could not. Despite shooting just 6‑of‑24 from the field, Anthony Edwards impacted the game in every other way — eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and suffocating defense on Murray down the stretch.

Box Scores: Both Teams at a Glance

Minnesota Timberwolves – Full Hitting/Scoring Box Score

Player	Pos	FG	3P	FT	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
K. Towns	F	8-14	1-6	6-6	23	12	2	2	1	3
J. McDaniels	F	7-10	3-4	6-7	23	6	1	2	1	0
A. Edwards	G	6-24	2-10	2-2	16	8	7	2	0	1
R. Gobert	C	3-7	0-0	7-9	13	9	1	1	2	3
M. Conley	G	3-10	3-5	1-2	10	8	4	2	0	0
N. Reid		4-7	1-4	2-2	11	4	1	0	2	0
K. Anderson		0-1	0-0	2-2	2	0	1	0	0	0
N. Alexander-Walker		0-6	0-5	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	0
TOTALS		31-79	10-34	26-30	98	47	18	9	6	7

Denver Nuggets – Full Hitting/Scoring Box Score

Player	Pos	FG	3P	FT	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
J. Murray	G	13-27	4-12	5-5	35	3	3	0	0	4
N. Jokić	C	13-28	2-10	6-7	34	19	7	0	1	3
M. Porter Jr.	F	3-12	1-6	0-0	7	9	0	0	2	0
K. Caldwell-Pope	G	2-7	1-4	0-0	5	6	3	2	1	0
A. Gordon	F	2-5	0-0	0-0	4	4	2	0	1	1
C. Braun		1-3	0-1	3-4	5	3	3	0	1	0
J. Holiday		0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0
R. Jackson		0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	2
TOTALS		34-83	8-33	14-16	90	44	18	3	7	10

The Nuggets won the shooting percentage battle (41.0% to 39.2%) but were undone by a disastrous third quarter and a 20‑point swing in points off turnovers. Denver committed 10 turnovers to Minnesota’s seven, and the Timberwolves converted those extra possessions into 20 points.

Pitching / Defensive Matchup Breakdown

Minnesota Timberwolves Defensive Leaders

Defender	Steals	Blocks	Defensive Rebounds	Contested Shots
J. McDaniels	2	1	2	9
M. Conley	2	0	7	5
A. Edwards	2	0	8	8
R. Gobert	1	2	7	7
K. Towns	2	1	10	6

Denver Nuggets Defensive Leaders

Defender	Steals	Blocks	Defensive Rebounds	Contested Shots
K. Caldwell-Pope	2	1	6	7
N. Jokić	0	1	13	12
M. Porter Jr.	0	2	8	6
A. Gordon	0	1	0	8
C. Braun	0	1	3	4

The Timberwolves’ defensive length and activity proved the difference. Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards combined to hold Jamal Murray to just 3 points in the fourth quarter, while Rudy Gobert anchored the paint and altered countless Denver drives. The Nuggets’ defense, which had been stout through three straight wins, allowed 32 fourth‑quarter points — the highest single‑period total of the night for either team.

Key Statistics Comparison Table

Statistic	Minnesota Timberwolves	Denver Nuggets
Final Points	98	90
Field Goals	31-79 (39.2%)	34-83 (41.0%)
Turnovers	7	10
3-Pointers	10-34 (29.4%)	8-33 (24.2%)
Points in Paint	38	44
Fouls Committed	21	23
Free Throws	26-30 (86.7%)	14-16 (87.5%)
Rebounds	47 (11 offensive)	44 (11 offensive)
Points Off Turnovers	20	14
Blocks	6	7

Quotes & Reactions

Anthony Edwards: “I’m trash, 6‑of‑24. But look, we’re all plus‑minus in the positive. It showed us who we are. Once we lock in on the defensive side, we are a heck of a team to beat.”

Nikola Jokić: “Yes. I think they’re built to beat us. Just look at their roster. They have basically two All‑Stars, two All‑Defensive First Team players, and Mike Conley, who’s the most underrated player in the NBA probably.”

Chris Finch (Timberwolves Head Coach): “We said to ourselves all series that our best is better than their best. And we just had to play our best.”

Jamal Murray: “It’s back to being the hunters. It’s back to fighting for something with a different type of edge.”

Karl‑Anthony Towns: “We just stayed together. Nobody panicked. We’ve been through too much this season to fold now.”

Match Analysis: What Went Right & Wrong

Minnesota Timberwolves

Category	Analysis
What Went Right	Third-quarter defensive surge, holding Denver to 14 points; clutch shot-making from Towns and McDaniels; Edwards’ defense on Murray in the fourth
What Went Wrong	Edwards’ shooting (6-24 FG, 2-10 3PT); bench production outside of Reid (only 13 bench points total)
Offensive Strength	Towns’ inside-out game (23 pts, 12 reb); McDaniels’ 3-point shooting (3-4); free throw efficiency (26-30)
Defensive Strength	Length and switching; holding Denver to 8-33 from deep; forcing 10 turnovers
Strategy	Pack the paint against Jokić, force role players to beat them, and trust Edwards/McDaniels to contain Murray

Denver Nuggets

Category	Analysis
What Went Right	Murray’s 35-point outburst; Jokić’s 34-19-7 near triple-double; strong first-half offensive flow (53 points)
What Went Wrong	Third-quarter collapse (14 points, 6-21 FG); Jokić 2-10 from three; Gordon/Porter Jr. combined 4-17 FG
Offensive Strength	Elite Jokić–Murray two-man game; strong offensive rebounding (11 boards)
Defensive Strength	First-half rim protection; held Minnesota to 19 points in each of the first two quarters
Strategy	Attack Gobert in pick-and-roll, spread the floor with shooters, and double Edwards on drives

Controversial moment: Late in the fourth quarter, Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokić were caught on a hot mic exchanging words. Edwards, who had waved goodbye to the crowd after a previous win, was asked by Jokić, “Why did you wave at the crowd?” Edwards simply pointed to the scoreboard — a gesture that encapsulated the Timberwolves’ unshakable confidence.

Series / Season Timeline

Game	Date	Winner	Score
Game 1	Sat., May 4	Timberwolves	106–99
Game 2	Mon., May 6	Timberwolves	106–80
Game 3	Fri., May 10	Nuggets	117–90
Game 4	Sun., May 12	Nuggets	115–107
Game 5	Tue., May 14	Nuggets	112–97
Game 6	Thu., May 16	Timberwolves	115–70
Game 7	Sun., May 19	Timberwolves	98–90

The denver nuggets vs timberwolves match player stats from Game 7 encapsulate the entire series narrative: Denver’s stars produced gaudy numbers (Jokić averaged 29.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 7.9 APG in the series), but Minnesota’s depth and defensive versatility ultimately proved too much for a Nuggets team that looked fatigued by the final horn.

Where to Watch

• United States: TNT, ESPN, NBA League Pass
• United Kingdom: TNT Sports, Discovery+
• Canada: TSN, Sportsnet
• Australia: ESPN Australia, Kayo Sports
• International: NBA League Pass (global)

Conclusion

The denver nuggets vs timberwolves match player stats from Game 7 tell a story of two halves, one team that ran out of gas and another that refused to quit. Jamal Murray (35 points) and Nikola Jokić (34‑19‑7) posted superstar‑level box scores, yet the Nuggets managed only 90 points — their lowest total of the entire postseason. Meanwhile, Karl‑Anthony Towns (23‑12) and Jaden McDaniels (23 points, 3‑4 3PT) provided the scoring punch, while Anthony Edwards (16‑8‑7) impacted the game defensively in ways the box score cannot fully capture.

The Timberwolves’ 20‑point comeback stands as the largest in NBA Game 7 history, and the numbers — 28‑14 third quarter, 32‑23 fourth quarter, 20 points off turnovers — will forever define one of the most stunning playoff upsets the league has ever seen.

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