MINNEAPOLIS — The Timberwolves defeated the team at the top of the Western Conference standings on Sunday, scoring a 128-98 win over Denver.
Even though it will go in the official ledger like any other win, chalk this one up as the Wolves' biggest schedule win of the season.
A night after playing in Denver, the Nuggets opted to sit out Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The team the Wolves will face Tuesday night in Denver will likely look much different.
The Wolves, to their credit, didn't mess around, as they tend to do when they face teams they should beat. They were up 11 at the end of the first quarter, 20 by halftime and made it relatively smooth sailing the rest of the way.
D'Angelo Russell (18 points) got the Wolves off on the right foot with a strong start. He scored 14 in the first quarter. Point guard Jordan McLaughlin returned from a 30-game absence because of a left calf injury and received a standing ovation when he checked in the game. He got the fans back on their feet with a buzzer-beating layup to cap a 11-2 run that ended the first, and the Wolves led 32-21 after one.
Anthony Edwards came into the game 15-for-41 in this last two. He finished with 20 on 8-for-17 shooting. Edwards hit a pair of buckets toward the end of the third quarter and gestured to the crowd as if to say, "Finally."
The Wolves expanded their lead to 25 in the first half thanks to 25 points off 14 Denver turnovers and the finished the night with 24 fast-break points.
Kyle Anderson didn't play in the second half; he left because of back spasms for the second consecutive game.
Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points for the Nuggets.
