Timberwolves 140, Nuggets 139: NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER HAS… Well, You Know

Minnesota came out on top in a double overtime thriller in what could have been the best game of the NBA season.

The shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Denver Nuggets in Denver on prime time Tuesday night, entering in another wild chapter of the rivalry book. The Wolves were coming off a physical win against the Detroit Pistons where we saw one of the biggest “fights” in recent memory. That resulted in both Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid receiving one game suspensions from the league. This was a big blow for Minnesota, missing two of their top eight players in a pivotal game with playoff seeding implications. The visitors were no strangers to beating the Nuggets despite being shorthanded, and they looked to replicate that success again.

What we got was the game of the year.

So much to unpack!

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Denver started the game out at a blistering pace, seeming determined to throw the first punch. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokić led the way for the Nuggets, hitting shots and setting up the rest of the starters on their way to a 21-5 start. They continued to push the pace offensively to the tune of 15 fastbreak points. The Timberwolves needed a response, and they delivered with an 11-2 run to close the frame. Julius Randle hit two three pointers during this stretch to try and keep pace with the Joker, who did MVP things by posting a quick 16 points to start the game. All in all, the Wolves got back on track to cut the lead, 32-26 after the first quarter.

The Wolves used the offensive glass to get back into the game as they finished the first half with an 11-1 advantage in that department. After four quick Denver points, Minnesota responded with a 10-0 run on their own. After a back-and-forth stretch, the Wolves took their first lead of the game halfway through the quarter. Things finished with dueling runs by both teams, ending with a 53-52 Denver advantage by halftime. The depleted bench mob of the Wolves provided a spark, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker (More on him later) finished with a stat line of 13 points, five rebounds, and 5 assists, while Josh Minott added a surprising, but much needed eight points of his own. Jokić continued to pour it on with 23 first half points himself.

The third quarter was deadlocked with neither team flinching. It stayed within one possession for nearly the entire way. As the period came to a close, the Timberwolves started to gain a slight edge. Rudy Gobert dominated the glass while NAW was doing a little of everything, propelling the Wolves to a five point 84-79 heading into what appeared to be the final frame.

The start of the fourth quarter was all Denver, as they blitzed Minnesota with a 10-0 run. Jokić was going berserk, getting to his spots and continuing to set up his teammates for great looks. Just when it looked like the Nuggets were running away with it, Anthony Edwards willed his team back into the game. He was either scoring or assisting on nearly every single Timberwolves basket down the stretch. He had a few of his patented heat checks, every single one of them needed towards the end of the game.

It was a joy to watch a player will his team to victory, but the reigning Most Valuable Player had other plans.

After Rudy Gobert went 1 for 2 from the free throw line, Jokić drew a foul on Gobert to tie the game at 112 while ending Gobert’s night. Randle had a shot at the fourth quarter buzzer to win the game, but missed long.

Free basketball was added to the menu.

The biggest stories of overtime were that Gobert was out while both Jokić and Randle had 5 fouls of their own. A crazy combination that made the stakes of each moment that much higher. A collective offensive effort and a couple Edwards mid-range jumpers had the Wolves up six with just 1:30 on the clock.

An unlikely victory seemed imminent.

However, the Nuggets would just not go away. Gordon drilled a key three ball and after getting the initial stop up by two with seconds to go, Edwards tried a cross court pass which was stolen by Christian Braun. Jokić got to his spot, spun and hit one of his patented floaters to tie the game with 7.3 seconds left. Jaden McDaniels had a subpar look at the end of the first overtime, missing short.

Can we get seconds?

With both teams now running on fumes in addition to a very physical game, another classic battle was down to a war of attrition. Both Edwards and Mike Conley started the second overtime with back-to-back triples, but Gordon repeatedly got to the charity stripe to stabilize the Denver offense. After a Jokić jumper got them a three point lead, McDaniels and Edwards responded with a pair of layups to go back up one. Gordon and NAW both knocked down massive triples before Westbrook was fouled, down by one with just 20 ticks left in the game.

Here is where the chaos rained down.

Westbrook went 1 for 2 from the line and after he missed the second, the ball was batted out of bounds. The referees decided to call a jump ball, forfeiting their ability to review the play. Though McDaniels surprisingly won the jump ball over Jokić, he apparently committed a foul that sent Jokić to the free throw line. Joker, who had played well over 30 minutes of game time in a row, missed the first before knocking in the second to get them a one point advantage.

After a timeout by Chris Finch, with a chance to win down by one, Edwards foolishly threw the ball away to Westbrook. Instead of running out the clock or waiting to draw an intentional foul, he inexplicably drove to the basket to attempt a layup.

He missed.

The Wolves opted not to call a time out in the ensuring chaos, so Edwards drove into the paint, taking three defenders with him before kicking it out to NAW in the corner.

He missed the three.

Game over.

Or was it?

Westbrook, who was just previously on the other end of the court, came flying out to contest the shot and ran into NAW’s shooting arm, knocking him over. Foul. Three shots.

After the review was upheld and left all of 0.1 seconds on the clock, Alexander-Walker, with the ice coursing through his veins, drilled his first two shots to take a one point lead. He intentionally, and beautifully, missed the third on purpose to end the game.

Timberwolves win, 140-139.

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Key Takeaways

Offensive Glass Domination

The biggest X’s and O’s reason for why the Timberwolves won this game was because of their advantage on the offensive boards.

Minnesota outrebounded Denver 21-8 on the offensive end, earning 25 more field goal attempts than Denver. When that happens, it becomes a math problem for the losing side. When the Timberwolves came out sluggish, Rudy Gobert started to attack the offensive glass to get extra opportunities to get them flowing. That, combined with some clutch ones multiple times throughout the fourth quarter and overtime, was a huge factor for how the Wolves came out on top. When you can shoot that many more shots than your opponent, your winning percentage skyrockets.

Anthony Edwards’ Special 4th Quarter

As Nikola Jokić dissected the Wolves defense, it seemed like the MVP was going to close the curtains on the undermanned Timberwolves team. A sleepy Edwards had another rough start with only 10 points through three quarters. When the Wolves backs were against the wall and it felt like the game was slipping away, Edwards held on tight.

In the fourth quarter and two overtimes, he scored 24 points and hit clutch bucket after clutch bucket while also keeping his teammates involved on the offensive end. They rewarded his playmaking with clutch shots, but it all started with the 23-year-old superstar. Fantastic stuff from number 5.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Meeting the Moment

With Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid being suspended for this game, Nickeil knew he would have to step up his scoring and playmaking to be an offensive spark off the bench. He delivered from the moment he stepped on the floor.

After having a great 13p/5r/5a line in the first half, NAW finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks on the defensive end. Most importantly, when the game was literally on the line, he was able to draw the foul on Westbrook to earn a trip to the free throw line with a chance to win the game in double overtime. When he stepped up to take the three shots, there was no doubt they were going down. A special role player that has grown a lot since he arrived in Minnesota, and a staple game from NAW with multiple key contributors out.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves will travel to the East Coast to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, April 3rd at 6:30pm CT in the second game of a five game road trip. This trip will be their last of the regular season as they return home for the final two games of the season. Buckle up for the next two weeks. It’s going to be a photo finish.

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Highlights