The Western Conference semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves is down to this: Game 7 inside Ball Arena. Stick here for live updates and analysis as the two teams battle for a spot in the conference finals.

Live updates

Going for 3 (5 p.m.): Welcome to the eighth Game 7 in Nuggets franchise history, and first since the NBA bubble in 2020. Denver famously had a pair of Game 7 wins over Utah and the L.A. Clippers in the Orlando bubble, coming back from 3-1 deficits twice en route to a conference finals appearance. As Bennett Durando noted this morning, several of the key players from that Utah-Denver Game 7 will be in Ball Arena tonight, including a guard who can’t stop thinking about a shot that rimmed out. The Jokic-Murray Nuggets are 3-1 in Game 7s, with the only loss coming to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference semis in 2019. Denver is 4-3 overall. — Matt Schubert

Game 7 themes (5 p.m.): Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. this one will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains. Here are five themes to watch. — Bennett Durando

Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 7: Must reads

Five themes to watch for in Game 7 of an odd NBA playoff series

Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. They are the final act of a ballet between two teams who have already revealed their choreography. There will be variations on the themes from earlier, but those themes have been seen and interpreted throughout six games. Now it’s the sheer quality of the performance that counts most.

I’ve been at all six games of this peculiar NBA playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves. Here are five themes I think might be important Sunday (6 p.m. MT) at Ball Arena. Game 7 will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains.

Read the full story.

Renck: Game 7 requires greatness from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, but look for Aaron Gordon to meet the moment

Aaron Gordon remains a beautiful contradiction.

He is a vibe off the court, but a dog on it. He is chill, but leaves defenders running hot. He brings all eyes to him when he walks into a room, but humility defines him.

As the Nuggets face the Timberwolves in Game 7, the focus on Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is on sharp display. Denver cannot win without the pair playing well, so it should surprise no one that Murray was the last player on the court Saturday practicing floaters. Read the full story.

Timberwolves’ Mike Conley has waited 4 years for Game 7 redemption after missing buzzer-beater vs. Nuggets

The lasting image from one of the most hectic Game 7 endings in NBA history was of two young guards embracing in mutual admiration.

Donovan Mitchell had collapsed to the floor, devastated, after Utah’s final 3-point attempt spun out of the cylinder as time expired, leaving Mitchell with only an 80-78 loss to show for his Herculean effort in the bubble: 36.3 points per game on 52% outside shooting in a seven-game saga. On the floor of the mostly empty gymnasium he remained, until Nuggets guard Jamal Murray found him there and helped him up. The two 23-year-olds had traded 50-point games in a memorable series. Murray comforted his opponent. In a sterile environment, it was a rare moment of warmth.

And what about the player who missed the shot? Read the full story.

Does Game 7 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves come down to Jamal Murray? He has an elbow injury now, too

Running into a Rudy Gobert screen can feel like colliding with a brick wall. For Jamal Murray, the result was a lot of pain and a lot of bricks.

Murray attributed his 4-for-18 Game 6 performance partially to a right elbow injury that he sustained while defending a screen two possessions into the 115-70 loss Thursday night.

The Nuggets point guard never exited the game due to the injury, but he was shaken up immediately, flexing his right arm on the court during live play to test how the elbow felt. He said he put numbing cream on the elbow when he went to the bench, “just so I didn’t have to feel it every time I extended it,” but it didn’t feel better for the rest of the game. Read the full story.

Renck: Nuggets were pummeled, yet there’s no panic. Nikola Jokic’s mood is why they will win Game 7

There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday. Read the full story.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

The Western Conference semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves is down to this: Game 7 inside Ball Arena. Stick here for live updates and analysis as the two teams battle for a spot in the conference finals.

Live updates

Ant control (7:35 p.m.): The Nuggets have Anthony Edwards entirely out of whack. He just scored his first points of the second half and has six on the night. He just missed two shots in the same trip — the second smacked of frustration — and is 2 for 10 on the night. We’ll see if a transition layup at 7:24 of the third quarter gets him going at all. If not, the Wolves can make vacation plans. The Nuggets lead 59-47 with 7:24 left in the third quarter. — Parker Gabriel

Staying on top (7:28 p.m.): The Nuggets and Wolves trade mini-runs with Denver now up 58-43 with a Karl-Anthony Towns foul call on Nikola Jokic currently under review. Denver’s defense has just been too good for the Wolves, whose offensive warts are really starting to show. — Matt Schubert

Going great (7:11 p.m.): We’re at half, and the Nuggets lead 53-38. That’s the lowest scoring half for the Timberwolves in this series. They are 12 of 38 from the field, while Denver is shooting a respective 45.5% (20 of 44) with a significant edge on the boards (29-18). — Matt Schubert

Halftime thoughts: Nuggets 53, Timberwolves 38

Bennett Durando, Nuggets reporter: The Nuggets have lost a lot of hustle stats such as fast-break and second-chance points in this series. Guess what? At halftime of Game 7, they’re out-rebounding Minnesota 31-21 for a 14-2 lead in second-chance points. Jokic has 15 boards. Denver has only allowed 10 points in the paint, and the Timberwolves minus KAT are shooting 7 for 32 from the field.

Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: The Nuggets’ defense is the story. And Jamal Murray’s been the offensive engine. But Nikola Jokic’s five first-half offensive boards loom large. Denver’s plan on Anthony Edwards so far is like a pitcher whose dialed in sequencing his pitches. Keep the batter (or in this case the budding superstar) off balance and just keep doing it until he times you up and forces you to do something different.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Jamal Murray has 24. Michael Jordan Jr. has 4. I’m guilty of over-simplifying this game, but that’s your stat. That’s your story. Right there. If that continues, we’re going to have an epic, seven-game series that was … paradoxically, full of blowouts. Weird.

Second quarter updates

At the break (7:06 p.m.): A Christian Braun block and Jamal Murray driving layup give Denver a strong finish to the first half. Nuggets lead by 15 and are 24 minutes from a date with Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. — Parker Gabriel

The D in Denver (7:07 p.m.): The Nuggets defense just put on a clinic, punctuated by Christian Braun’s block at the rim. Anthony Edwards is out of sync and the Wolves finish the first half shooting 31.6% from the field. Denver is one half from its second straight trip to the conference finals. — Matt Schubert

What can Braun do for you? (7:01 p.m.): Christian Braun is playing with 5-hour Energy. Denver’s defense has been fantastic as he’s chased down multiple players on layups. Interested to see where his game is in 2-3 years. Hasn’t found shooting touch at pro level, but as he converts more open shots it will open lane for his relentless drives. — Troy Renck

Not going away (7 p.m.): Karl-Anthony Towns scores back-to-back baskets and now has 13 points. Just when it looks like the Nuggets might totally pull away, the Timberwolves claw their way back. Anthony Edwards has only four points on 1-of-6 shooting, and the Nuggets lead 48-38 with 2:13 left in the second quarter. If you’re Minnesota, it could be a lot worse. — Matt Schubert

Foul trouble (6:55 p.m.) Jaden McDaniels picking up three fouls in a three-minute span here in the second quarter is trouble for Minnesota. — Parker Gabriel

Mal on fire (6:53 p.m.): Jamal Murray has 22 of Denver’s 43 so far. — Parker Gabriel

Slo-Mo, no mo (6:53 p.m.): Kyle Anderson has no business playing in this series. It’s been rough pretty much from the start. And it only gets rougher in Game 7 after he misses a chippie on one end, then fouls Jamal Murray on an and-one jumper on the other. The Nuggets now lead 41-29 with less than five minutes to go in the first half. — Matt Schubert

McDaniels has showed up (6:48 p.m.): Jaden McDaniels scores five points in less than a minute, including a corner 3. We’re back to a five-point game. — Matt Schubert

Non-Jokic win (6:48 p.m.): Nuggets go plus-1 in Nikola Jokic’s first stretch of rest tonight early in the second quarter. But Minnesota starting to get untracked offensively by getting to the line — Parker Gabriel

Uh oh (6:46 p.m.): Jamal Murray comes up ginger after an awkward fall to the ground. He’s staying in the game, but that is not something the Nuggets want to see given his collection of injuries. Nuggets lead 34-22. — Matt Schubert

Land of 10,000 misses (6:44 p.m.): A pair of Rudy Gobert free throws are Minnesota’s first points in 5:05. A scoring drought befitting Big Ten country. — Parker Gabriel

Little big man (6:44 p.m.): Rudy Gobert had Jamal Murray guarding him in the post for what felt like 3 minutes last possession. The Wolves didn’t even look Gobert’s way. Says a lot. — Sean Keeler

Christian Braun, Ant Stopper (6:42 p.m.): The best defender on Anthony Edwards in this series? Easily Braun, who put the clamps on Ant on one possession, then outhustled him to a loose ball that ended up with free throws on the other end. Nuggets are cruising. — Matt Schubert

Ball Arena on fire (6:35 p.m.): Seven boards for MPJ already and now back-to-back buckets to force Minnesota into a timeout. Denver up 30-19. Ball Arena is rocking. It’s a 14-0 run for Denver. Minnesota hasn’t scored in more than four minutes, since the 1:42 mark of the first quarter. — Parker Gabriel

The others (6:37 p.m.): The Nuggets are about more than one guy. But in the NBA Playoffs? It’s largely about one guy. Jamal Murray’s got three treys and is on a heat check. When Murray’s made at least 3 treys in a postseason game, Denver’s 23-5. — Sean Keeler

Marathon man (6:36 p.m.): Does Jokic play 45 minutes tonight? Or even 48? We’ve seen him log herculean minutes before in postseason. And this would be night to do it, obviously. — Troy Renck

Entering second quarter hot (6:31 p.m.): Jamal Murray made his last four shots of the first quarter and put 10 on Minnesota over the final 4:14. On the other end, Anthony Edwards was 1 for 5 in the first quarter. The Nuggets have put together a heck of a defensive effort so far. Long way to go, of course. — Parker Gabriel

First quarter thoughts (6:30 p.m.): Jamal Murray didn’t play a particularly good quarter. Minnesota kept getting him stuck on bigs in the paint defensively, he missed shots, and one of the worst entry passes I’ve ever seen turned into the only easy bucket of the game so far. But making two consecutive 3-pointers to end a quarter will do a lot for ya.

Now Nikola Jokic is starting the second quarter again, an unusual flourish that Michael Malone tried in Game 6 when he was desperate to stay in the game. Not the case this time. How ’bout the block for Reggie Jackson though? — Bennett Durando

First quarter: Nuggets 24, Timberwolves 19

Jamal Murray simmering (6:31 p.m.). Murray missed four of first five shots. He finishes the quarter 5 of 10 for 13 points… MPJ also has 6 rebounds… good sign…. The only one not to get hot was Rocky the Mascot. Watching him try half-court shots is akin to Birdman in the dunk contest. — Troy Renck

He’s heating up (6:27 p.m.): Jamal Murray… percolating. — Parker Gabriel

MPJ Watch (6:26 p.m.): MPJ has six rebounds in the first 10 minutes but he’s 0 for 4 from the floor and 0 for 2 from deep. He’s had two good looks, one that went all the way around and popped out. Minnesota 17, Denver 16 after 10 minutes. — Parker Gabriel

Back on track (6:25 p.m.): Jamal Murray gets a floating drive off glass, then backs down his defender for a fadeaway in the lane as part of a big Nuggets run. He’s now 3 for 7 from the field. This is the Murray the Nuggets need. It’s 17-16 Minnesota with two minutes to go in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert

Big fella can ball (6:25 p.m.): Naz Reid is a problem, if he’s gonna make it rain like that. Gives Joker another “Joker-type” stretch-4/5 to guard. With Rudy, he can hover around the paint and prep for the miss off the jumper. With Reid, he’s gotta be ready for ANYTHING. — Sean Keeler

Et tu, Mal? (6:20 p.m.): Since March 17, Jamal Murray’s had a sub 40% shooting night seven different times. The Nuggs were 3-4 in those tilts. Joker’s Robin has missed 4 of his first 5 tonight. — Sean Keeler

Poor start (6:18 p.m.): Nuggets off to slow start. Missed 10 of the first 12 shots and are 1-for-5 from 3. MPJ is out of sync. Driving when should shoot 3. Shooting 3 when they should drive. Also got beat by overplaying McDaniels. Nuggets have shown urgency, but no accuracy. — Troy Renck

Gotta hit those chippies (6:17 p.m.): With offense so hard to come by and jump shots not falling early, the real sting for Denver right now is from two could’ve-been dunks. Jaden McDaniels denied Aaron Gordon at the rim on one, and Jamal Murray rimmed out another after a nice drive. It’s 9-5 Minnesota. — Bennett Durando

Conley hits (6:16 p.m.): Nuggets ran a double at Anthony Edwards out high and Mike Conley buried his first look from the corner. Denver can’t let Minnesota’s role players get into a good rhythm offensively. — Parker Gabriel

Slugfest underway (6:14 p.m.): The Timberwolves already have two blocks at the rim, including an incredible Jaden McDaniels stuff of Aaron Gordon on an attempted two-handed slam at the rim. This is shaping up to be a rock fight, folks. Jamal Murray is now 1 of 3 from long range with a missed dunk. It’s 9-5 Minnesota early in the first quarter with McDaniels going to the free throw line after an and-one.  — Matt Schubert

Mal gets going (6:10 p.m.): Jamal Murray buries his first shot of the night, a stepback 3. That’s a GREAT sign. — Matt Schubert

Hey, Scott (6:08 p.m.): One possession, one Scott Foster illegal screen call on Rudy Gobert. — Parker Gabriel

Pregame updates

Local flavor (6:03 p.m.): Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with the national anthem. Now lineups. Ball Arena is fully charged. — Parker Gabriel

Split picks (6:02 p.m.): For those curious about this sort of thing, the TNT crew was split 2-2 down the middle in picking Game 7. Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith went with Minnesota. Ernie Johnson and Vince Carter picked Denver. Take that as you will. — Matt Schubert

About to tip (5:59 p.m.): Here we are, the first Game 7 at Ball Arena in five years. The Nuggets’ championship defense has already been extraordinary. Forcing a Game 7 after losing the first two games of this series at home is no small thing. Beat Minnesota tonight, and they will be just the sixth team in NBA history to win a series after going down 2-0 at home. Folks, it doesn’t get much better than this. Buckle up and enjoy. — Matt Schubert

Excuse me, got a GAME 7 to get to!

MIN-DEN • 8pm/et • TNT pic.twitter.com/Jn6q418D4B

— NBA (@NBA) May 19, 2024

Going for 3 (5 p.m.): Welcome to the eighth Game 7 in Nuggets franchise history, and first since the NBA bubble in 2020. Denver famously had a pair of Game 7 wins over Utah and the L.A. Clippers in the Orlando bubble, coming back from 3-1 deficits twice en route to a conference finals appearance. As Bennett Durando noted this morning, several of the key players from that Utah-Denver Game 7 will be in Ball Arena tonight, including a guard who can’t stop thinking about a shot that rimmed out. The Jokic-Murray Nuggets are 3-1 in Game 7s, with the only loss coming to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference semis in 2019. Denver is 4-3 overall. — Matt Schubert

Game 7 themes (5 p.m.): Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. this one will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains. Here are five themes to watch. — Bennett Durando

Pregame predictions

Bennett Durando, Nuggets reporter: The common line of thinking in a winner-take-all game is that the superstar player who performs best will dictate the outcome of the game. I’m more inclined after the double-teaming Minnesota and Denver have applied to Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards to declare the team whose role players deliver will win. Both Jokic and Edwards have displayed an ability to play-make for teammates in response to aggressive coverage. So who’s making corner 3s? Aaron Gordon or Jaden McDaniels? Which second option steps up, Jamal Murray or KAT? In the end let’s go with … Prediction: Nuggets 103, Timberwolves 100

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: The counter to the counter to the counter gets the last laugh. Chris Finch got one back on his old pal Michael Malone by having KAT guard Joker instead of Rudy Gobert. It’s not rocket science: The two games in which Rudy wasn’t charged with trying to contain the MVP, Minnesota took off. If the Wolves are keeping that assignment, this game comes down to who most Nuggets playoff games come down to: Jamal Murray. If he shines, this train may not stop for three more weeks. If he’s Game 6 ‘Mal, summer’s coming early. Thinking the extra rest and Malone’s adjustments — he’s 3-1 in Game 7s with Denver — turn the tide. Barely. Prediction: Nuggets 110, Wolves 104.

Troy Renck, sports columnist: The Nuggets were never pushed to the brink in winning a title last year. They never played a team as good as this version of the Timberwolves, either. This has been a forgettable series, defined by four blowouts. I expect a matchup befitting a Game 7. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray must play well, but Minnesota is not going to let Jokic go for 40. One of The Other Guys has to shine, preferably Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr. I am convinced they will. Prediction: Nuggets 109, Timberwolves 105.

Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: A series full of blowouts. Now a deciding game where another lopsided night would still come as a surprise. The Timberwolves’ defense is fierce. The Nuggets will have to find a way to match. The bet here is low scoring. Like, under 100 each way. Gut call: the best defensive team in basketball makes the last big defensive play. Prediction: Timberwolves 96, Nuggets 94.

Matt Schubert, sports editor: Road teams have fared better than you might think in Game 7s, including an upset earlier today at MSG. It’s hard to pick against Nikola Jokic in a winner-take-all situation. But this is really more about whether or not the Nuggets get something from Jamal Murray and someone else. To beat Minnesota tonight, they’ll absolutely need it. The bet is here is they will. Prediction Nuggets 105, Timberwolves 100.

Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 7: Must reads

Five themes to watch for in Game 7 of an odd NBA playoff series

Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. They are the final act of a ballet between two teams who have already revealed their choreography. There will be variations on the themes from earlier, but those themes have been seen and interpreted throughout six games. Now it’s the sheer quality of the performance that counts most.

I’ve been at all six games of this peculiar NBA playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves. Here are five themes I think might be important Sunday (6 p.m. MT) at Ball Arena. Game 7 will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains.

Read the full story.

Renck: Game 7 requires greatness from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, but look for Aaron Gordon to meet the moment

Aaron Gordon remains a beautiful contradiction.

He is a vibe off the court, but a dog on it. He is chill, but leaves defenders running hot. He brings all eyes to him when he walks into a room, but humility defines him.

As the Nuggets face the Timberwolves in Game 7, the focus on Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is on sharp display. Denver cannot win without the pair playing well, so it should surprise no one that Murray was the last player on the court Saturday practicing floaters. Read the full story.

Timberwolves’ Mike Conley has waited 4 years for Game 7 redemption after missing buzzer-beater vs. Nuggets

The lasting image from one of the most hectic Game 7 endings in NBA history was of two young guards embracing in mutual admiration.

Donovan Mitchell had collapsed to the floor, devastated, after Utah’s final 3-point attempt spun out of the cylinder as time expired, leaving Mitchell with only an 80-78 loss to show for his Herculean effort in the bubble: 36.3 points per game on 52% outside shooting in a seven-game saga. On the floor of the mostly empty gymnasium he remained, until Nuggets guard Jamal Murray found him there and helped him up. The two 23-year-olds had traded 50-point games in a memorable series. Murray comforted his opponent. In a sterile environment, it was a rare moment of warmth.

And what about the player who missed the shot? Read the full story.

Does Game 7 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves come down to Jamal Murray? He has an elbow injury now, too

Running into a Rudy Gobert screen can feel like colliding with a brick wall. For Jamal Murray, the result was a lot of pain and a lot of bricks.

Murray attributed his 4-for-18 Game 6 performance partially to a right elbow injury that he sustained while defending a screen two possessions into the 115-70 loss Thursday night.

The Nuggets point guard never exited the game due to the injury, but he was shaken up immediately, flexing his right arm on the court during live play to test how the elbow felt. He said he put numbing cream on the elbow when he went to the bench, “just so I didn’t have to feel it every time I extended it,” but it didn’t feel better for the rest of the game. Read the full story.

Renck: Nuggets were pummeled, yet there’s no panic. Nikola Jokic’s mood is why they will win Game 7

There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday. Read the full story.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

Final: Timberwolves 98, Nuggets 90

The title defense is done. Denver fought valiantly, turning a 2-0 series deficit into a 3-2 lead. With a 15-point lead to begin the second half, all the Nuggets had to do was close out Game 7. But tired legs equaled lots of tired shots. And now the season is over. For the sixth straight year, the defending champs will not reach the NBA Finals. And for the fifth time in six seasons, they lost in the conference semifinals. This one is gonna hurt. — Matt Schubert

Fourth quarter updates

Miracle needed (8:25 p.m.): Jamal Murray gets a clean look at 3 … and it rims out. The defending champs might be done. It’s now 93-84 after Mike Conley sinks 1 of 2 free throws. — Matt Schubert

On the ropes (8:20 p.m.): Another offensive rebound from Naz Reid on a tipped dunk, then a steal and an Anthony Edwards corner 3. That might’ve been the knockout blow, folks. It’s 92-82, Wolves, with 3:05 to go. If the Nuggets have any magic left, they need it now. Right now. — Matt Schubert

Wolves on the boards (8:17 p.m.): Two offensive rebounds lead to a pair of Naz Reid free throws. Minnesota hanging on up 87-82 with 4:10 left. The Nuggets are clearly gassed. — Matt Schubert

Wolves hanging on (8:12 p.m.): Two Nikola Jokic 3-pointers and a Jamal Murray pull-up … and Denver still trails by five with 5:02 to go. If the Nuggets are going to return to the conference finals, it’s time for their Big Two to do even more (they already have 59 of Denver’s 80 points). Because the Wolves are not going to give this one to them. — Matt Schubert

Miracle shot (8:07): Rudy Gobert just made the … French Fadeaway? That’s probably the craziest shot of the big man’s career. When shots like that start going down, you know Denver is in trouble. It’s 81-75, Minnesota with 7:02 left. — Matt Schubert

Bang from outside (8:02 p.m.): The Timberwolves are giving Nikola Jokic wide-open 3s, and he’s missing them again and again — until he just buried one from the top of the key. He’s now 1 for 8 from deep. Still, the Nuggets are reeling with Minnesota leading 77-75 with 7:47 left. — Matt Schubert

At long last (7:58 p.m.): Pretty good time for MPJ’s first 3-pointer of the night. Tied the game at 72. There’s 9:44 to go. Buckle up. — Parker Gabriel

Attack (7:57 p.m.): Time to stop shooting 3s, Nuggets. This game is going to be won in the paint. — Matt Schubert

Here we go (7:54 p.m.): Nuggets led by 20 at 58-38. Timberwolves close the quarter on 28-9 run. Here we go. The Nuggets’ season is on the brink. They led 67-66 after 3. Timberwolves shooting 22 of 60. Nuggets now 25 of 63 and 5 of 22 from 3. Missing open 3s brought Timberwolves back into game. — Troy Renck

Third-quarter takeaway: Uh-oh. — Sean Keeler

Third quarter: Nuggets 67, Timberwolves 66

Third-quarter thought: Denver had better hope that long 3-pointer at the end of the quarter from Anthony Edwards doesn’t launch him into the fourth. The Wolves have already cut a 20-point deficit to one. Murray didn’t score in the final 10:50 of the third quarter. Denver’s going to have to wrestle control of this one back at least one more time. — Parker Gabriel

Shooting blanks (7:52 p.m.): The Nuggets are 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the third quarter and 5 of 21 from deep overall tonight. — Parker Gabriel

KAT’s revenge (7:50 p.m.): Karl-Anthony Towns is THE reason the Timberwolves are actually in this thing. Just an incredible performance from the big man, who’s attacked the paint repeatedly against smaller Nuggets and turned those drives into points. But now he’s got four fouls after an ill-advised play on Nikola Jokic in the post. He’s got 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, with eight rebounds. He and Jaden McDaniels (16 points, four fouls) are going to be very important in this fourth quarter. — Matt Schubert

Clamps on (7:44 p.m.): It’s a 19-3 run for the Wolves since a Murray 3-pointer put Denver up 20. Nuggets have just one field goal (a Christian Braun second-chance leaner) in the past 7:47. — Parker Gabriel

Denver, we got a problem (7:43 p.m.): A Nikola Jokic turnover leads to an Anthony Edwards dunk on the other end, and suddenly the Nuggets’ lead has shrunk to 61-57 with 2:50 left in the third quarter. Buckle up, buttercup. — Matt Schubert

Comeback coming? (7:42 p.m.): The Cavs set the record for comebacks in a playoff Game 7, rallying from 18 down vs. the Magic earlier this month. The Nuggets led by 20. Now they are back in a rock fight, leading by eight (61-53). — Troy Renck

Wolves rolling (7:40 p.m.): T’Wolves aren’t going anywhere, folks. Back-to-back 3-pointers by McDaniels and Conley part of a 10-0 run and they have the lead down to six midway through the third quarter. — Parker Gabriel

Tightening up (7:40 p.m.): Michael Porter Jr. just hasn’t gotten it going in this series. After a terrible 3-point miss, Mike Conley buries a corner 3 and we’ve got a six-point game. Uh oh. — Matt Schubert

Murray + Jokic (7:37 p.m.): Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic currently have 43 of the Nuggets’ 59 points. Too much of a good thing? I think not. —  Matt Schubert

Ant control (7:35 p.m.): The Nuggets have Anthony Edwards entirely out of whack. He just scored his first points of the second half and has six on the night. He just missed two shots in the same trip — the second smacked of frustration — and is 2 for 10 on the night. We’ll see if a transition layup at 7:24 of the third quarter gets him going at all. If not, the Wolves can make vacation plans. The Nuggets lead 59-47 with 7:24 left in the third quarter. — Parker Gabriel

Staying on top (7:28 p.m.): The Nuggets and Wolves trade mini-runs with Denver now up 58-43 with a Karl-Anthony Towns foul call on Nikola Jokic currently under review. Denver’s defense has just been too good for the Wolves, whose offensive warts are really starting to show. — Matt Schubert

Going great (7:11 p.m.): We’re at half, and the Nuggets lead 53-38. That’s the lowest scoring half for the Timberwolves in this series. They are 12 of 38 from the field, while Denver is shooting a respective 45.5% (20 of 44) with a significant edge on the boards (29-18). — Matt Schubert

Halftime thoughts: Nuggets 53, Timberwolves 38

Bennett Durando, Nuggets reporter: The Nuggets have lost a lot of hustle stats such as fast-break and second-chance points in this series. Guess what? At halftime of Game 7, they’re out-rebounding Minnesota 31-21 for a 14-2 lead in second-chance points. Jokic has 15 boards. Denver has only allowed 10 points in the paint, and the Timberwolves minus KAT are shooting 7 for 32 from the field.

Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: The Nuggets’ defense is the story. And Jamal Murray’s been the offensive engine. But Nikola Jokic’s five first-half offensive boards loom large. Denver’s plan on Anthony Edwards so far is like a pitcher whose dialed in sequencing his pitches. Keep the batter (or in this case the budding superstar) off balance and just keep doing it until he times you up and forces you to do something different.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Jamal Murray has 24. Michael Jordan Jr. has 4. I’m guilty of over-simplifying this game, but that’s your stat. That’s your story. Right there. If that continues, we’re going to have an epic, seven-game series that was … paradoxically, full of blowouts. Weird.

Second quarter updates

At the break (7:06 p.m.): A Christian Braun block and Jamal Murray driving layup give Denver a strong finish to the first half. Nuggets lead by 15 and are 24 minutes from a date with Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. — Parker Gabriel

The D in Denver (7:07 p.m.): The Nuggets defense just put on a clinic, punctuated by Christian Braun’s block at the rim. Anthony Edwards is out of sync and the Wolves finish the first half shooting 31.6% from the field. Denver is one half from its second straight trip to the conference finals. — Matt Schubert

What can Braun do for you? (7:01 p.m.): Christian Braun is playing with 5-hour Energy. Denver’s defense has been fantastic as he’s chased down multiple players on layups. Interested to see where his game is in 2-3 years. Hasn’t found shooting touch at pro level, but as he converts more open shots it will open lane for his relentless drives. — Troy Renck

Not going away (7 p.m.): Karl-Anthony Towns scores back-to-back baskets and now has 13 points. Just when it looks like the Nuggets might totally pull away, the Timberwolves claw their way back. Anthony Edwards has only four points on 1-of-6 shooting, and the Nuggets lead 48-38 with 2:13 left in the second quarter. If you’re Minnesota, it could be a lot worse. — Matt Schubert

Foul trouble (6:55 p.m.) Jaden McDaniels picking up three fouls in a three-minute span here in the second quarter is trouble for Minnesota. — Parker Gabriel

Mal on fire (6:53 p.m.): Jamal Murray has 22 of Denver’s 43 so far. — Parker Gabriel

Slo-Mo, no mo (6:53 p.m.): Kyle Anderson has no business playing in this series. It’s been rough pretty much from the start. And it only gets rougher in Game 7 after he misses a chippie on one end, then fouls Jamal Murray on an and-one jumper on the other. The Nuggets now lead 41-29 with less than five minutes to go in the first half. — Matt Schubert

McDaniels has showed up (6:48 p.m.): Jaden McDaniels scores five points in less than a minute, including a corner 3. We’re back to a five-point game. — Matt Schubert

Non-Jokic win (6:48 p.m.): Nuggets go plus-1 in Nikola Jokic’s first stretch of rest tonight early in the second quarter. But Minnesota starting to get untracked offensively by getting to the line — Parker Gabriel

Uh oh (6:46 p.m.): Jamal Murray comes up ginger after an awkward fall to the ground. He’s staying in the game, but that is not something the Nuggets want to see given his collection of injuries. Nuggets lead 34-22. — Matt Schubert

Land of 10,000 misses (6:44 p.m.): A pair of Rudy Gobert free throws are Minnesota’s first points in 5:05. A scoring drought befitting Big Ten country. — Parker Gabriel

Little big man (6:44 p.m.): Rudy Gobert had Jamal Murray guarding him in the post for what felt like 3 minutes last possession. The Wolves didn’t even look Gobert’s way. Says a lot. — Sean Keeler

Christian Braun, Ant Stopper (6:42 p.m.): The best defender on Anthony Edwards in this series? Easily Braun, who put the clamps on Ant on one possession, then outhustled him to a loose ball that ended up with free throws on the other end. Nuggets are cruising. — Matt Schubert

Ball Arena on fire (6:35 p.m.): Seven boards for MPJ already and now back-to-back buckets to force Minnesota into a timeout. Denver up 30-19. Ball Arena is rocking. It’s a 14-0 run for Denver. Minnesota hasn’t scored in more than four minutes, since the 1:42 mark of the first quarter. — Parker Gabriel

The others (6:37 p.m.): The Nuggets are about more than one guy. But in the NBA Playoffs? It’s largely about one guy. Jamal Murray’s got three treys and is on a heat check. When Murray’s made at least 3 treys in a postseason game, Denver’s 23-5. — Sean Keeler

Marathon man (6:36 p.m.): Does Jokic play 45 minutes tonight? Or even 48? We’ve seen him log herculean minutes before in postseason. And this would be night to do it, obviously. — Troy Renck

Entering second quarter hot (6:31 p.m.): Jamal Murray made his last four shots of the first quarter and put 10 on Minnesota over the final 4:14. On the other end, Anthony Edwards was 1 for 5 in the first quarter. The Nuggets have put together a heck of a defensive effort so far. Long way to go, of course. — Parker Gabriel

First quarter thoughts (6:30 p.m.): Jamal Murray didn’t play a particularly good quarter. Minnesota kept getting him stuck on bigs in the paint defensively, he missed shots, and one of the worst entry passes I’ve ever seen turned into the only easy bucket of the game so far. But making two consecutive 3-pointers to end a quarter will do a lot for ya.

Now Nikola Jokic is starting the second quarter again, an unusual flourish that Michael Malone tried in Game 6 when he was desperate to stay in the game. Not the case this time. How ’bout the block for Reggie Jackson though? — Bennett Durando

First quarter: Nuggets 24, Timberwolves 19

Jamal Murray simmering (6:31 p.m.). Murray missed four of first five shots. He finishes the quarter 5 of 10 for 13 points… MPJ also has 6 rebounds… good sign…. The only one not to get hot was Rocky the Mascot. Watching him try half-court shots is akin to Birdman in the dunk contest. — Troy Renck

He’s heating up (6:27 p.m.): Jamal Murray… percolating. — Parker Gabriel

MPJ Watch (6:26 p.m.): MPJ has six rebounds in the first 10 minutes but he’s 0 for 4 from the floor and 0 for 2 from deep. He’s had two good looks, one that went all the way around and popped out. Minnesota 17, Denver 16 after 10 minutes. — Parker Gabriel

Back on track (6:25 p.m.): Jamal Murray gets a floating drive off glass, then backs down his defender for a fadeaway in the lane as part of a big Nuggets run. He’s now 3 for 7 from the field. This is the Murray the Nuggets need. It’s 17-16 Minnesota with two minutes to go in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert

Big fella can ball (6:25 p.m.): Naz Reid is a problem, if he’s gonna make it rain like that. Gives Joker another “Joker-type” stretch-4/5 to guard. With Rudy, he can hover around the paint and prep for the miss off the jumper. With Reid, he’s gotta be ready for ANYTHING. — Sean Keeler

Et tu, Mal? (6:20 p.m.): Since March 17, Jamal Murray’s had a sub 40% shooting night seven different times. The Nuggs were 3-4 in those tilts. Joker’s Robin has missed 4 of his first 5 tonight. — Sean Keeler

Poor start (6:18 p.m.): Nuggets off to slow start. Missed 10 of the first 12 shots and are 1-for-5 from 3. MPJ is out of sync. Driving when should shoot 3. Shooting 3 when they should drive. Also got beat by overplaying McDaniels. Nuggets have shown urgency, but no accuracy. — Troy Renck

Gotta hit those chippies (6:17 p.m.): With offense so hard to come by and jump shots not falling early, the real sting for Denver right now is from two could’ve-been dunks. Jaden McDaniels denied Aaron Gordon at the rim on one, and Jamal Murray rimmed out another after a nice drive. It’s 9-5 Minnesota. — Bennett Durando

Conley hits (6:16 p.m.): Nuggets ran a double at Anthony Edwards out high and Mike Conley buried his first look from the corner. Denver can’t let Minnesota’s role players get into a good rhythm offensively. — Parker Gabriel

Slugfest underway (6:14 p.m.): The Timberwolves already have two blocks at the rim, including an incredible Jaden McDaniels stuff of Aaron Gordon on an attempted two-handed slam at the rim. This is shaping up to be a rock fight, folks. Jamal Murray is now 1 of 3 from long range with a missed dunk. It’s 9-5 Minnesota early in the first quarter with McDaniels going to the free throw line after an and-one.  — Matt Schubert

Mal gets going (6:10 p.m.): Jamal Murray buries his first shot of the night, a stepback 3. That’s a GREAT sign. — Matt Schubert

Hey, Scott (6:08 p.m.): One possession, one Scott Foster illegal screen call on Rudy Gobert. — Parker Gabriel

Pregame updates

Local flavor (6:03 p.m.): Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with the national anthem. Now lineups. Ball Arena is fully charged. — Parker Gabriel

Split picks (6:02 p.m.): For those curious about this sort of thing, the TNT crew was split 2-2 down the middle in picking Game 7. Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith went with Minnesota. Ernie Johnson and Vince Carter picked Denver. Take that as you will. — Matt Schubert

About to tip (5:59 p.m.): Here we are, the first Game 7 at Ball Arena in five years. The Nuggets’ championship defense has already been extraordinary. Forcing a Game 7 after losing the first two games of this series at home is no small thing. Beat Minnesota tonight, and they will be just the sixth team in NBA history to win a series after going down 2-0 at home. Folks, it doesn’t get much better than this. Buckle up and enjoy. — Matt Schubert

Excuse me, got a GAME 7 to get to!

MIN-DEN • 8pm/et • TNT pic.twitter.com/Jn6q418D4B

— NBA (@NBA) May 19, 2024

Going for 3 (5 p.m.): Welcome to the eighth Game 7 in Nuggets franchise history, and first since the NBA bubble in 2020. Denver famously had a pair of Game 7 wins over Utah and the L.A. Clippers in the Orlando bubble, coming back from 3-1 deficits twice en route to a conference finals appearance. As Bennett Durando noted this morning, several of the key players from that Utah-Denver Game 7 will be in Ball Arena tonight, including a guard who can’t stop thinking about a shot that rimmed out. The Jokic-Murray Nuggets are 3-1 in Game 7s, with the only loss coming to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference semis in 2019. Denver is 4-3 overall. — Matt Schubert

Game 7 themes (5 p.m.): Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. this one will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains. Here are five themes to watch. — Bennett Durando

Pregame predictions

Bennett Durando, Nuggets reporter: The common line of thinking in a winner-take-all game is that the superstar player who performs best will dictate the outcome of the game. I’m more inclined after the double-teaming Minnesota and Denver have applied to Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards to declare the team whose role players deliver will win. Both Jokic and Edwards have displayed an ability to play-make for teammates in response to aggressive coverage. So who’s making corner 3s? Aaron Gordon or Jaden McDaniels? Which second option steps up, Jamal Murray or KAT? In the end let’s go with … Prediction: Nuggets 103, Timberwolves 100

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: The counter to the counter to the counter gets the last laugh. Chris Finch got one back on his old pal Michael Malone by having KAT guard Joker instead of Rudy Gobert. It’s not rocket science: The two games in which Rudy wasn’t charged with trying to contain the MVP, Minnesota took off. If the Wolves are keeping that assignment, this game comes down to who most Nuggets playoff games come down to: Jamal Murray. If he shines, this train may not stop for three more weeks. If he’s Game 6 ‘Mal, summer’s coming early. Thinking the extra rest and Malone’s adjustments — he’s 3-1 in Game 7s with Denver — turn the tide. Barely. Prediction: Nuggets 110, Wolves 104.

Troy Renck, sports columnist: The Nuggets were never pushed to the brink in winning a title last year. They never played a team as good as this version of the Timberwolves, either. This has been a forgettable series, defined by four blowouts. I expect a matchup befitting a Game 7. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray must play well, but Minnesota is not going to let Jokic go for 40. One of The Other Guys has to shine, preferably Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr. I am convinced they will. Prediction: Nuggets 109, Timberwolves 105.

Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: A series full of blowouts. Now a deciding game where another lopsided night would still come as a surprise. The Timberwolves’ defense is fierce. The Nuggets will have to find a way to match. The bet here is low scoring. Like, under 100 each way. Gut call: the best defensive team in basketball makes the last big defensive play. Prediction: Timberwolves 96, Nuggets 94.

Matt Schubert, sports editor: Road teams have fared better than you might think in Game 7s, including an upset earlier today at MSG. It’s hard to pick against Nikola Jokic in a winner-take-all situation. But this is really more about whether or not the Nuggets get something from Jamal Murray and someone else. To beat Minnesota tonight, they’ll absolutely need it. The bet is here is they will. Prediction Nuggets 105, Timberwolves 100.

Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 7: Must reads

Five themes to watch for in Game 7 of an odd NBA playoff series

Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. They are the final act of a ballet between two teams who have already revealed their choreography. There will be variations on the themes from earlier, but those themes have been seen and interpreted throughout six games. Now it’s the sheer quality of the performance that counts most.

I’ve been at all six games of this peculiar NBA playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves. Here are five themes I think might be important Sunday (6 p.m. MT) at Ball Arena. Game 7 will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains.

Read the full story.

Renck: Game 7 requires greatness from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, but look for Aaron Gordon to meet the moment

Aaron Gordon remains a beautiful contradiction.

He is a vibe off the court, but a dog on it. He is chill, but leaves defenders running hot. He brings all eyes to him when he walks into a room, but humility defines him.

As the Nuggets face the Timberwolves in Game 7, the focus on Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is on sharp display. Denver cannot win without the pair playing well, so it should surprise no one that Murray was the last player on the court Saturday practicing floaters. Read the full story.

Timberwolves’ Mike Conley has waited 4 years for Game 7 redemption after missing buzzer-beater vs. Nuggets

The lasting image from one of the most hectic Game 7 endings in NBA history was of two young guards embracing in mutual admiration.

Donovan Mitchell had collapsed to the floor, devastated, after Utah’s final 3-point attempt spun out of the cylinder as time expired, leaving Mitchell with only an 80-78 loss to show for his Herculean effort in the bubble: 36.3 points per game on 52% outside shooting in a seven-game saga. On the floor of the mostly empty gymnasium he remained, until Nuggets guard Jamal Murray found him there and helped him up. The two 23-year-olds had traded 50-point games in a memorable series. Murray comforted his opponent. In a sterile environment, it was a rare moment of warmth.

And what about the player who missed the shot? Read the full story.

Does Game 7 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves come down to Jamal Murray? He has an elbow injury now, too

Running into a Rudy Gobert screen can feel like colliding with a brick wall. For Jamal Murray, the result was a lot of pain and a lot of bricks.

Murray attributed his 4-for-18 Game 6 performance partially to a right elbow injury that he sustained while defending a screen two possessions into the 115-70 loss Thursday night.

The Nuggets point guard never exited the game due to the injury, but he was shaken up immediately, flexing his right arm on the court during live play to test how the elbow felt. He said he put numbing cream on the elbow when he went to the bench, “just so I didn’t have to feel it every time I extended it,” but it didn’t feel better for the rest of the game. Read the full story.

Renck: Nuggets were pummeled, yet there’s no panic. Nikola Jokic’s mood is why they will win Game 7

There is no elasticity left. Hyperbole exists. The Nuggets stand with their toes dangling over the edge of the cliff, a view never required during last year’s championship run. They have reached Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Let’s call this series what it is with no historical perspective required: a clumsy mess of brilliance and blowouts.

Everything screams that the Nuggets should be concerned. With a chance to extinguish the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Nuggets played with the urgency of Eeyore.

And yet, there is no panic. Disappointment? Yes. Humiliation? Absolutely. But no alarms were blaring in the locker room. The only sound an hour after the game was Nikola Jokic, airpods in, humming along to one of his favorite songs. He is the temperature of this team. And this mood remains the overwhelming reason they will win on Sunday. Read the full story.

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The lasting image from one of the most hectic Game 7 endings in NBA history was of two young guards embracing in mutual admiration.

Donovan Mitchell had collapsed to the floor, devastated, after Utah’s final 3-point attempt spun out of the cylinder as time expired, leaving Mitchell with only an 80-78 loss to show for his Herculean effort in the bubble: 36.3 points per game on 52% outside shooting in the seven-game saga. On the floor of the mostly empty gymnasium he remained, until Nuggets guard Jamal Murray found him there and helped him up. The two 23-year-olds had traded 50-point games in a memorable series. Murray comforted his opponent. In a sterile environment, it was a rare moment of warmth.

And what about the player who missed the shot?

“It’s hard to escape it,” he said Saturday. “You find that clip every now and then. Sometimes it comes across the phone. I don’t actively search it. I don’t want to bring up that memory too much. But at the same time, though, it’s something that I’ve thought about in workouts. I think about it when I’m having a tough day at work, or I miss a certain shot. I’m like, man, I’ve gotta make this because I might be in this situation again. I might get the opportunity again.”

The loneliest man in the gym that night will finally get that opportunity again Sunday in another Game 7 — against the same opponent. Murray and Mitchell are forever intertwined by that 2020 first-round playoff clash in the bubble, but 32-year-old point guard Mike Conley was Utah’s second-leading scorer, averaging 19.8 points in the series on 53% shooting from 3-point range. The only shot that’ll live forever was his last one: a pull-up three in transition that would have won the series and eliminated the Nuggets.

Now 36 and still chasing his first championship, Conley has been waiting for an opportunity like Sunday.

His Minnesota Timberwolves against a similar Denver Nuggets core in another Game 7. How many times has he replayed the moment in his head over the last 48 hours, since Minnesota forced a winner-take-all game?

“The last four years,” Conley said, “not the last 48 hours.”

It was one of the most crucial sequences of the Nuggets’ rise to power. This 2024 series is littered with the same characters. Nikola Jokic scored the eventual game-winning basket on a hook shot with 27.8 seconds left. Guarding him and contesting the shot was Rudy Gobert, who also plays for the Timberwolves now via a trade separate from the one that brought Conley to Minnesota.

The Jazz’s initial opportunity to tie or win the game was thwarted when Gary Harris picked Mitchell’s pocket with 10 seconds remaining. Murray dribbled the other direction and passed to Torrey Craig, who botched an ill-advised layup instead of holding onto the ball and playing keep-away to force a foul. Gobert rebounded the miss and fired an outlet pass to Conley, who had a clean look at the buzzer. In and out.

The Nuggets won another series and made the Western Conference Finals, establishing their potential as a legitimate contender for the first time of the Jokic-Murray era. Now they’re defending their championship in Sunday’s showdown. Conley, meanwhile, fell to 0-4 in Game 7s in his career. This will be his first since that one.

“Man, I’ve replayed it a lot. Having an opportunity to win a Game 7 like that, not being able to make the shot was tough,” Conley said. “And now here we are in a similar situation where we get to play that same team, a lot of the same guys. So for me it’s been something I’ve been thinking about a long time. Hopefully this will turn out different.”

Conley is one of the most ubiquitous respected veterans in the NBA. When Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was asked what the difference was between Minnesota’s Game 5 loss and Game 6 blowout win, he replied simply, “(Crap), we got Mike Conley back.” The 17th-year guard was named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year this month, an award that he also won in Utah. He’s been a 20-point-per-game scorer and an All-Star in his career. Now he’s a steady role player and glue guy. This is his 12th playoff appearance. He has only reached the conference finals once.

He knows time might be running out.

“I’ve thought about it every playoff game, because potentially this could be one chance to crack down the door and have a chance to win a championship,” he said. “Opportunities don’t come around like this. You don’t have it be so wide open like this that often. A lot of teams tend to always be at the top of the league. But right now I feel like it’s very much open for a lot of teams to make a run.”

By the end of Sunday, his dream could be as alive as it’s ever been, or it could face another heartbreaking setback. The Nuggets stand in the way. Conley is likely to play despite the right soleus muscle strain that sidelined him for Game 5. “I think all of us would agree that we’d do anything for Mike Conley,” teammate Karl-Anthony Towns said. That’s because Conley’s reputation is that he would do anything for his teammates. No shot he’s missing Game 7. It’s a matter of whether he makes or misses another shot.

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Scouts and executives see Bronny James as a viable NBA player and confirm he could be leverage to force the Lakers into a trade to unite him with his father.

No one with a heart so heavy should be that fast. After winning the 100-meter hurdles, Gabriella Cunningham, still in the clear, got about nine strides past the finish line, cocked her head and shrugged, the way Michael Jordan did during the 1992 NBA Finals.

Dad would’ve loved that.

“My dad taught me so much more than I could ever imagine,” the Grandview track star and Class 5A state champ in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles, said Saturday at Jeffco Stadium after her second medal of the day. “And he tells me things every day.”

“What was he saying on Saturday?” I asked.

She pondered.

“Actually, he would always say, like, ‘Go, go, go, G.’ That was his thing,” Cunningham replied with a knowing grin. “And I was just telling myself (Saturday), ‘Go, go, go, G.’ I’d never been like, ‘Go, go, go,’ before.”

It runs in the blood. It runs like the wind. Cunningham is bound for LSU this summer, the top-rated women’s outdoor track program in the country last week, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Her father, the late T.J. Cunningham, was was a star at Overland High back in the day, and later became an All-Big Eight standout with the CU Buffs, where he played wideout and defensive back. Dad wound up getting taken in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s going fast,” Gabrielle’s mother, Lissette Ellerbe, reflected as her daughter’s last-ever CHSAA state track and field championships wrapped up.

“Literally, it was like, ‘Oh, you’ve got a couple months,’ to, ‘Yeah, we’ve got a couple weeks.’ So yeah, it’s sped everything up. I’m just trying to embrace every second I have with her before she goes to college.”

Gabriella is, too. As the public address announcer saluted her second title of the day and the successful defense of her 2023 100 and 300 hurdle crowns, she danced a mini-jig on the track. On the medal stand a few minutes later, she playfully posed with hands at her temple, as if adjusting an imaginary crown, Saturday’s Queen of the Hurdles.

“I think (these championships) were different because it was the first time I had the target on my back,” Cunningham said. “(Usually), there’s an older person that’s getting after it, and I’m like, ‘I’ve gotta go get her.’ This year, I knew that I was the focus and I knew that people wanted to (go after) Gabriella Cunningham. So I had to put on a show.”

She did. On a blustery day that added bluster to Cunningham’s luster, she finished the 300 hurdles with a 42.10, a second or so quicker than Alexa Queen of Fountain-Fort Carson (43.19) and a hair behind the Wolves standout’s personal record of 41.96, set on May 4.

“I executed my start beautifully,” she recalled with a grin. “Then the third hurdle, I had a little bit of an ‘Oh …’ and never in my life have I ever said ‘Come on,’ in the middle of a race. But I had to knock myself back into the race. I was like, ‘Hold on, Gabriella.'”

No one with that many scars should smile so easily. In February 2019, when Gabriella was 13, her father, an assistant principal at Hinkley High, was shot and killed in a dispute with a neighbor. In July 2020, her eldest sister, Tiana Lynn Cunningham, was pursuing her master’s degree at UNC when she was killed in a car accident.

“She’s just a really, really tough kid to get through everything,” Ellerbe said.

Only what should harden the heart softened the soul. Gabriella took on the big sister role, embraced a mentor’s duty of care, and did what came naturally.

She ran with it.

“It definitely makes me wants to be a better role model,” the future SEC sprinter explained. “Where you just understand that they’re capable of (anything). No matter what they say, no matter who says anything to them, that if you have a dream, you’re going to go get it.”

Cunningham pointed at the west stands.

“Every meet, my dad and sister sit right there,” she continued. “Any meet, at any place, they’re always at the 50-meter mark with me. I always dedicate a spot (in the stands) to them.”

When they’re not in the stands, they sleep in her mind.

After that third hurdle in the 300, an old, familiar voice awakened.

Go, go, go, G, it whispered.

Go, go, go.

Dad. Always.

“It’s a blessing,” Cunningham said, eyes welling. “Oh, sorry. I’m going to get teary.

“You know, losing my father was probably one of the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. Losing my big sister, I was just like, ‘Take a deep breath and just get after it.’

“I think that’s why I’m so ambitious with my goals. And that’s why I strive to be the best individual I can be. Because I know my father and sister would be right on my shoulders, telling me exactly what to do. So I definitely carry that tradition.”

The Queen of the Hurdles chuckled as she dabbed away a tear. With the other hand, she flattened the palm, forever royal, and tapped it over that giant heart, scars and all. When you run with angels, every road feels like paradise. Especially the last.

Aaron Gordon remains a beautiful contradiction.

He is a vibe off the court, but a dog on it. He is chill, but leaves defenders running hot. He brings all eyes to him when he walks into a room, but humility defines him.

As the Nuggets face the Timberwolves in Game 7, the focus on Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is on sharp display. Denver cannot win without the pair playing well, so it should surprise no one that Murray was the last player on the court Saturday practicing floaters.

But success is impossible without multipliers. Murray has to shoot better, and that is something he controls in a make-or-miss league. However, look for the Timberwolves to make Jokic more dependent on his teammates, doubling him on entry passes to the post. It means The Other Guys must hit their open looks, sneak into vacant space.

No one is more important in this role than Gordon. He has more dirty jobs than Mike Rowe.

Offensively, Gordon will be counted on to knock down 3s, forcing Minnesota to rethink its strategy at times vs. Jokic. He has drained 10 of 17 in this series, and it is difficult to see the Nuggets advancing without him sinking a pair on Sunday. In Game 4, Gordon went 11 of 12 from the field with two 3s. Rudy Gobert compared Gordon’s heater to Kobe Bryant, admitting there’s little Minnesota can do if he shoots like that.

No one is expecting another Kobe game, but Gordon contributing from behind the arc, the paint and above the rim is what winning looks like for the Nuggets.

To add to his duties, Gordon is now leaned on to bring the ball up the court, a breathtaking skill for a 6-foot-8 wing player. It allows Murray to rest from the full court pestering of Jaden McDaniels, preserving energy and the Nugget star’s left calf. When Murray has burst, he is at his best. Gordon’s ball skills help make this possible.

Defensively, Gordon’s versatility turns him into a cheat code. Watch No. 50 for multiple possessions. You will see him banging bodies with Gobert, facing up with walking highlight Anthony Edwards and challenging Karl-Anthony Towns on the perimeter. The requirement is difficult. And Gordon must manage the task with finesse, avoiding early foul trouble that would fuel a caffeinated Timberwolves start.

Coach Michael Malone preaches defense, but knows in this series that the Nuggets’ scoring is more important. It limits Minnesota’s transition baskets, establishes confidence in role players, and creates better matchups.

But the Nuggets must play offense like they are on defense. They must be physical, tough, engaged and opportunistic. This is the Cliffs Notes summary of Gordon since he arrived in Denver.

The hotter the temperature, the cooler he gets. His teammates feed off this in ways very similar to Jokic, a player Gordon admires and emulates with his selflessness.

“I learned it from him. He’s the best basketball player in the world, a three-time MVP and he’s the most humble dude you will ever meet,” Gordon said. “So, if a three-time MVP can do it, I can do it too.”

After the Game 6 debacle, Gordon stood at his locker addressing reporters with calm confidence. His answers to questions might as well have been Lenny Kravitz singing smoothly, “It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over.”

“I have full faith in my teammates. I have full faith in the talent of this team, the poise,” Gordon said. “I was talking with them about this, that this is what we fought for all year, to have home court. And it’s what we fought for in this series, to get it back.”

Just being at home guarantees the Nuggets nothing. Yes, they own a one-game winning streak at Ball Arena. But they are also 1-2 overall in this series. They lost a single home game during last season’s championship run. It is a reminder that this team is different — no Bruce Brown, no Jeff Green — and that the Timberwolves are better than any team the Nuggets vanquished in the 2023 playoffs.

This is no surprise to Gordon. He told me, “We don’t want it easy.”

Now comes the hard part. The pressure has never been greater. All eyes will be on Murray and Jokic.

But when the Nuggets win, when they look like themselves again, we will credit Gordon for having the bandwidth to meet the moment.

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Game 7s make for great theater, but not only because of the stakes and suspense. They are the final act of a ballet between two teams who have already revealed their choreography. There will be variations on the themes from earlier, but those themes have been seen and interpreted throughout six games. It’s the sheer quality of the performance that counts most.

I’ve been at all six games of this peculiar NBA playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves. Here are five themes I think might be important Sunday (6 p.m. MT) at Ball Arena. Game 7 will either end with a roaring ovation for the Nuggets and an encore in the Western Conference Finals — or it’ll be curtains.

1. Jamal Murray isn’t Denver’s only erratic scorer

I’ve already devoted a separate story to the importance of Murray’s offense in deciding Game 7, so let’s treat that as a given and use this space to focus on Denver’s third option.

Michael Porter Jr. was lethal in the first round, shooting 48.8% from three. He entered this matchup expecting Anthony Edwards to guard him and Jaden McDaniels to start on Murray. Instead, the Timberwolves have committed the lengthier McDaniels to MPJ for a surprising amount of time.

“He’s so tall that most people can’t block him, so for me, I’m just gonna not let him get the ball,” McDaniels said between the first two games, after that hand was shown. “Try to, at least.”

Consider it a success. Porter’s field goal attempts per game are down from 15.2 in the first round to 9.7 in the second round. His points per touch are down dramatically from 0.481 to 0.255. According to the NBA’s tracking data, Porter has attempted 10 shots in 29:55 with McDaniels matched up on him, as opposed to 16 in 22:08 with Edwards as his matchup. He’s not getting opportunities to attack close-outs as much (dribbles per touch are also down from 1.11 to 0.81). And when he does find clean 3-point looks, they’re just not falling at the same rate (35.3%).

How creative can Denver get with off-ball action to get Porter back in a rhythm with the season on the line?

2. Can Nuggets afford to swarm Anthony Edwards?

This has been a series defined by living with the results of tactical gambles.

The Timberwolves’ defensive coverage against Nikola Jokic inherently involves leaving Aaron Gordon open if he spaces to the corners. They were resigned to the consequences, if exasperated by them, when Gordon started making 3s.

The same goes for the domino effect of any double-teaming Denver cares to enforce against Edwards. After four games of declaring the Nuggets were content to let Edwards “get his” if it meant limiting the role players, coach Michael Malone suddenly flipped philosophies in Game 5 after a 44-point Ant showing. The Nuggets threw bodies at Edwards.

They were willing to guide the ball into Rudy Gobert’s hands on the short roll. They were passive to close out on McDaniels around the perimeter. Edwards had his worst game of the series. Then point guard Mike Conley returned in Game 6, and Minnesota’s offense rediscovered a state of calm. Edwards navigated the traffic much better.

“They knew it was coming,” Malone said, “and they did a really good job moving the ball.”

It helped that McDaniels went Gordon Mode. He shot 80% and established confidence that Denver has to hope won’t carry over to Game 7. If it does, Edwards coverage will get tricky.

Which defensive doctrine will Malone commit to, and at what cost?

3. How will Timberwolves guard Nikola Jokic?

One game after Denver’s adjustment to neutralize Ant Man, Chris Finch responded by applying the same philosophy to the Joker.

Game 5 was arguably the greatest of Jokic’s playoff career. It seemed he had solved the Karl-Anthony Towns primary matchup with Gobert roaming the baseline. So in lieu of — nay, in addition to — the usual game plan, Minnesota frequently sent a double-team from the perimeter in Game 6 whenever Jokic had an opportunity to post up.

The adjustment was reminiscent of the Lakers’ first-round scheme, with rotations to the nearest shooter often springing into action as the entry pass went to Jokic. The Nuggets’ subsequent execution was sloppy, and when it wasn’t, they shot 19.4% from 3-point range.

“There are gonna be things we can do differently from a game plan standpoint,” Malone said, “but to me, the much bigger issue is we have to do a lot better job of being locked in.”

With the Game 5 masterpiece still in the not-so-distant past, will Minnesota replicate its Game 6 wrinkle? Or stick to the original plan, which once upon a time helped build a 2-0 series lead? And what actions can the Nuggets dial up to isolate Jokic against Gobert?

4. Cross-matching on Karl-Anthony Towns, Naz Reid

Scoring four points fewer than his regular-season average will cause pundits to say otherwise, but KAT has had a largely positive impact on this series for Minnesota. He’s shooting 50% from the floor and 44% from three, and he’s averaging 9.6 rebounds the last five games.

When Denver has moved Gordon onto Edwards, Towns has often found himself guarded by a smaller defender. The Nuggets’ cross-matching efforts can have consequences against Minnesota’s size, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Porter stuck in the paint against KAT. Or Murray or Justin Holiday trapped in a similar situation against Naz Reid during the second-unit minutes. Reid attempted five shots inside the arc against Murray in Game 6.

Denver has to monitor the Timberwolves’ efforts to exploit those potential mismatches. In Towns’ case, it might help for Jokic to tag him with a couple of early fouls at the other end.

5. Transition and second-chance scoring

These are broad ideas that apply to every game, but they’re especially important in a must-win situation against a half-court defense this good.

In the first half of Game 6, the Timberwolves converted 11 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points. The Nuggets haven’t gotten a boost like that all series. In the regular season, they attempted 80 or fewer shots in only three of 82 games. In the second round, they’ve been held to 80 or fewer shots in four of the six games. A team that ranked 13th in offensive rebounding this season was limited to single-digit offensive boards in all four of those games. Jokic is the king of recovering his own misses for easier shots, but even those points have been shut off for extended stretches.

The Nuggets’ offense has been sporadic enough that they need to capitalize on any chance they get for an easy bucket against disorganized defense. Hence the emphasis on transition as well. Denver’s bench was scoreless for three quarters in Game 6. The previous game was evidence that fast-break points are the key to unlocking Christian Braun in particular.

Can the Nuggets go from gags to riches?

They were equipped to type an exclamation point to one of the oddest playoff series in franchise history and instead put a question mark at the end of the sentence.

The Nuggets did not inspire confidence on Thursday. Now, the entire season comes down to a Game 7 on Sunday.

This team has met the moment for a calendar year. Knockout games demand stars play well. And the Nuggets are not winning without 30 points from Nikola Jokic and at least 20 from Jamal Murray. But the duo needs help. It’s time for Michael Porter Jr. to return from the margins. He has averaged six points over the past three games and 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in the series. The juxtaposition remains jarring. Porter Jr. dropped 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds vs. the Lakers. The current matchup makes those numbers difficult to duplicate.

But if the Nuggets want to extend their season, Porter must be better defensively, and turn into MP3 from the corner at least three times.

The Rockies returned from the abyss with their recent seven-game winning streak. Third baseman Ryan McMahon continues to anchor the offense as he is on pace to hit 23 home runs with 83 RBIs. He struck out in 32% of his plate appearances last season, and has shaved that number to 27% this season. …

The person is more important than the player. But it is possible to have compassion for Valeri Nichushkin and hold him accountable. I don’t see a scenario where he plays for the Avs again when his six-month suspension ends in November. Whether it means eating a huge chunk of his salary or attaching a first-round draft pick in a trade, the Avs need to move on to be fair to the other players in the locker room. …

Bo Nix could very well be the Fix for the Broncos. He looks the part and clearly fits in coach Sean Payton’s offense. But I have a gnawing concern about his development: Where are the offensive weapons? The possibility exists that Courtland Sutton could get traded, even if it’s unlikely, leaving Nix with a receiver group featuring Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey. And don’t get me started about the lack of production from the tight ends. Greg Dulcich & Gabbana needs to stay healthy to make the roster. My X-factor for the group is Lucas Krull Island. …

Former Pomona High state wrestling champion and Wyoming stalwart Archie Colgan walked into his job a few years and quit. He was getting married and starting a family, but the gravitational pull of MMA was impossible to ignore. His faith has been rewarded. Colgan, who still trains in Denver, soundly defeated Tibault Golti on Friday in Paris, improving to 10-0. A lightweight title shot is starting to crystallize. “I just need to continue to take care of business and it could happen in a few more fights,” Colgan said.

Mail Time

It is not just the NBA, it is all pro sports with late start times. We moved from Denver to the East Coast last year. But I have family and friends who have lived here for many years. None of us are able to stay up to watch any sporting event that starts after 8 p.m. EST. 
— Steve Pollak, via email

I was pleasantly surprised by the response to my column about the insulting 8:41 p.m. Mountain tipoff for Game 5 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves. Money drives these decisions as TV networks who pay billions want the most eyeballs on the product. But it doesn’t mean we should stop complaining. As more subscriptions are needed to watch sports leagues, it would be nice if convenience and respect came with the package.

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