Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Game 3 Prediction: NBA Playoff Odds
Denver is in serious trouble in their bid to repeat as NBA champions. The Nuggets followed up a 106-99 Game 1 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves with an even worse performance in Monday’s 106-80 Game 2 blowout. The historical stats say it’s win or go home for Denver on Friday as no team in NBA history has come back to win a series when trailing 3-0.
Minnesota is a 4.5-point favourite to win Game 3, with the total set at 204.5 on the NBA odds.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves NBA Betting Odds
The first two games of this series haven’t only been shocking because it’s the defending champs on the ropes, it’s also been surprising because of how close the season series was. Minnesota and Denver split four regular season meetings, with each team winning a game at home and a game on the road. The Nuggets’ lack of offensive production has seen the total go Under in the first two games, so the Over might be the play in Game 3 if you think Denver can still make this a series.
Oddsmakers clearly smell blood in the water as the favoured exact series result is a Timberwolves sweep at +110 followed by a Minnesota win in six games at +375. The biggest long shot is a Denver win in six games at +1400 followed by a Nuggets win seven games at +1200.
Denver’s championship odds have plummeted on the NBA futures board. After beginning the second round with the second-best odds to win the NBA championship at +260, the Nuggets have dropped to +1600 long shots. The T-Wolves have taken over with the second-best championship odds at +300 ahead of Game 3 after starting the series at +900.
Denver Nuggets
Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 20 points in Game 2 and recently named league MVP Nikola Jokic had 16 points and 16 rebounds, but Denver trailed by almost 30 points by halftime and never really seemed in the game. The Nuggets had an ugly shooting night, going 29-of-83, which was even more surprising considering Minnesota was without Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who was in Minneapolis for the birth of his son.
Jamal Murray’s performance has been particularly glaring in this series. The Kitchener, Ontario native has shot just 9-for-32 in the series and was limited to eight points on Monday. Clearly some frustration is building up as Murray was fined $100,000 for throwing a heat pack on the floor in Game 2. Murray, who hit two game-winning shots in the first round against the Lakers, needs to be better to give Denver a chance in this series.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves in Game 2. Both players had 27 points, while Towns added 12 rebounds and Edwards had seven assists. Gobert was a possibility to play, but reportedly couldn’t make it because high winds in Colorado resulted in restricted air travel. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year is expected to be in the lineup for Game 3.
It was a full team effort on Monday. Kyle Anderson replaced Gobert in the starting lineup and finished with eight assists and nine rebounds, while reserves Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each had 14 points. The rotation of Gobert, Towns and Reid will be relied on heavily again on Friday after forcing Jokic to commit an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and 14 missed shots in Game 1.
DEN
MIN