By Eric Nehm, Fred Katz, John Krawczynski, Tony Jones, and David Aldridge.
Andrew Nembhard gave the Indiana Pacers some breathing room late in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers blew a double-digit lead over the New York Knicks to win 111-106. The Pacers got their first win in the series and avoided the dreaded 3-0 deficit.
đŸ˜± With 16 seconds left, Andrew Nemhard added to the lead by knocking down a three. pic.twitter.com/CLDUjEoqr2
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 11, 2024
The Denver Nuggets dominated from start to finish against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Nuggets won 117-90 in chaotic fashion and finally looked like a championship-caliber version of themselves. Game 4 in Minnesota will be crucial as Denver looks to hit two games in a row.
Pacers 111, Knicks 106
Game 4: Sunday in Indiana
Series: New York leads 2-1.
The Pacers pulled off an ugly win, but they won
It wasn’t pretty, but the Packers don’t care about that. It doesn’t matter that they scored 111 points in this series.
Or that Tyrese Haliburton made a late change. Or foul Jalen Brunson in the final two minutes and send him to the free throw line. They won. And that’s all that matters tonight.
After playing at an up-and-down pace consistent with their regular season play, Indiana turned things around in Game 3 and went into a physical and ugly game against the Knicks.
Halliburton looked impressive at various points, scoring 35 points on four field goals and grabbing seven rebounds, but Nembrad’s 31-footer in the shot put gave the Pacers a three-point lead with 17.8 seconds left in the game. .
It was ugly, but Indiana pulled through to take the first game of this second-round series. – Eric Nehm, Bucks beat writer
An injured Brunson looks different from himself
This was not Brunson’s night. New York will have to hope it looks like itself when it comes to Game 4.
Brunson scored 26 points and dished out six assists, taking 26 shots to get there. From the start of the game, the Pacers beat him by switching the main defender to Aaron Nesmith. If Brunson struggles, it’s mostly with length.
Nesmith offers a longer option than Nemhardt and TJ McConnell, who took turns at Brunson in the first two games. Nesmith stepped in before Brunson. He was physically fighting through screens. He stayed in front of the guard the whole way.
Of course, it was easier to do than on a normal Friday.
Brunson entered the game questionable with a foot injury and struggled all night, limping at times and lacking his usual explosiveness. He couldn’t drive by Nesmith. He had trouble punishing Indiana when he switched to it.
The Knicks nearly squeezed out a win without their best player, OG Anunoby, who didn’t look like himself. But they need Brunson to win two more against Indiana. – Fred Katz, Knicks beat writer
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
Timberwolves 117, Nuggets 90
Game 4: Sunday in Minnesota
Series: Minnesota leads 2-1.
The Nuggets get the hot start they’ve been looking for
The Nuggets finally played with some physicality in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Timberwolves.
In the end, Denver won the first quarter. And for the first time in the postseason, the Nuggets finally won the first half.
All of these things are painful issues for Denver, not only in this matchup against the Wolves, but also in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets’ 4-1 win over the Lakers made up for those weaknesses to a large degree, but they still sit on the road in front of Minnesota.
Denver clinched its playoff berth with Friday night’s win at Target Center. The Nuggets not only dominated the first quarter, but 48 minutes. They looked like the winners of the winners that they begged to be all week.
They sent a message that this will not be easy for the Timberwolves.
But a first-quarter win is what Denver coach Michael Malone has been buzzing about all week. Just win the first quarter and build on that. Instead of trying to take down the entire pyramid that represented a 2-0 deficit in this series, Malone focused on baby steps, and the Nuggets responded.
Nikola Jokic responded with a 24-point masterclass, along with 14 rebounds and nine assists. Jamal Murray scored 24 points of his own and matched Jamal Murray. Michael Porter Jr. responded with 21 points, and Denver responded by taking control of the game as Minnesota had previously dominated the series.
Of course, it gets stronger than that. The Nuggets are still down 2-1. Minnesota is emphatically advertised, so Sunday night’s Game 4 is sure to be a heated contest. But for Friday night, Denver looks like Denver.
And that’s something we’ve seen very little of this postseason. – Tony Jones, jazz composer
Wolves lose steam due to lack of steam
Maybe the luggage the Timberwolves’ defensive back from Denver got lost along the way. After the 1985 Bears’ dramatic performance in Game 2 in Denver, the Wolves’ 2009 performance by the Timberwolves in Game 3 looked even better.
The Nuggets have made 54 percent of their first six playoff games, 14 3-pointers and 20 attempts at the line. The Nuggets mostly got what they wanted Friday night, as Murray found his rhythm and Jokic put up another big stat line.
They had three days off between Games 2 and 3, which appeared to be enough for Murray to get more treatment on his sore calf and for the Wolves to lose the edge they had when they started 6-0 at home.
Gobert returned to the lineup after missing Game 2 for the birth of his son, but had just six points and four rebounds. Mike Conley struggled with 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting. Edwards finished with 19 points and six rebounds.
The best news for the Colts is that they can tell themselves they played as bad a game as possible. This is not necessarily about the Nuggets being great and the Wolves playing very poorly.
But the danger is that they let the champions back into this series when they look ready to fold. Now the pressure is off for them to get their points back in Sunday’s 4th game. – John Krawczynski, Timberwolves beat writer
Can Murray duplicate this performance with his injured calf?
Malone has spent the last three days calling the team every way imaginable, including tonight’s pregame. And the Nuggets responded with a performance befitting the defending NBA champions in their matchup against the Timberwolves.
But you have to wonder how Murray, who came off a three-day layoff between Games 3 and 4 after a three-day layoff, silenced the roaring Target Center crowd from minute one Friday. to rest after Game 2 and get treatment on his injured calf.
Murray was sensational Friday, finding heights he hadn’t shown in either of the first two games of the series, knocking down 3s and getting to the basket better. But will the Calf let him do it again Sunday night? – David Aldridge, senior NBA columnist
Saturday’s playoff schedule:
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(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)