Athletics! This second-round matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves can only be described in this fashion. Initially, the Nuggets were regarded as the team that nobody could defeat in seven games, and they seemed destined to win again. 

Then, the Wolves convincingly won the first two games of the series at the Nuggets building. Abruptly, Minnesota was hailed as the heir apparent, and the team that possessed the next Michael Jordan was undoubtedly on track to defeat the phony Nuggets. Denver, on the other hand, retaliated by traveling to Minnesota and winning games three and four with convincing ease. 

The Wolves lost all of their momentum, Nikola Jokic reminded everyone that he is the greatest player on the planet, and the series won’t go more than six games. Now, aside from the fact that we have at least two more games in what is quickly becoming into an incredible series, I have no idea what will happen next.

The Crucial Who: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets (2-2)

When: 8:00 p.m.

Where: Denver, Colorado; The Can.

How to watch/listen: Denver Stiffs opposes piracy, unless it’s the kind that dates back to the romanticized 18th century. TNT, 92.5 FM Altitude Sports Radio KKSE. If you’re not a Nuggets fan, get NBA League Pass. Arrive in Denver donning a bizarre opera mask and introduce yourself as the ghost of the Wolves prospects.

The Trio of ItemsThe point to be aware of is bench vs. bench.

In game four, Anthony Edwards sat for a total of three minutes, during which the Wolves were outscored by thirteen. Bench play, which was a vulnerability for Denver in the first round, is now a strength. The issue with Minnesota is that they lack depth beyond Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, so if Karl-Anthony Towns is having trouble filling in for Edwards, they have nowhere else to turn. Reid has been a reliable and successful scorer for the most part this series, but he also gets sucked into a numbers game. 

Reid doesn’t have much time to play since Towns and Rudy Gobert use up more than 75 percent of the ninety-six minutes allotted for big men in the game. The Nuggets’ bench was dreadful in the first round, but they are now making an impact. Christian Braun is getting in Edwards’ face and making things difficult, Justin Holiday is making threes on a regular basis, and Reggie Jackson is still posing just enough of a threat to keep Minnesota competitive when Jamal Murray isn’t playing. That has been a major factor in turning this series around, and Denver will need another strong showing from the subs tonight if they hope to win.

Keep in mind that Minnesota is insane.

At the conclusion of game four, Edwards was trash-talking Murray, and the Wolves were humiliated on their home court. Recall what transpired in game three when the Nuggets faced a comparable circumstance. They started off well, building an eight-point lead in the first quarter, and then in the second, they made it seem easy. Minnesota should play with a same kind of intensity tonight. The Wolves will try to punch Denver in the mouth and end the game early, so Denver needs to be prepared for this. The Nuggets must prevent that from occurring. The home crowd has been anticipating this series to blow up, and if the Nuggets can weather the storm, the altitude and the fans might help the home team win in the fourth quarter. It is more important for the Nuggets to start well than any other game in this series.

The wager: a plethora of intriguing choices on three arrows

There are several ways to persuade oneself that the over on a player’s three-pointer line will hit based on past games, depending on your preference for gambler’s fallacy. Do you think Holiday will keep destroying them? His over 1.5 threes are available at +150. Think it’s time for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope? His over 1.5 threes are available at +115. Do you think Michael Porter Jr. will return to his typical role as a sharpshooter? His over 2.5 threes are available at -105. Braun intrigues me personally since he only needs one three-pointer to reach the over on his 0.5 line, which is worth +130. With the exception of the second game, where the officials let the contest turn into a WWE bout, Christian has made three points in each of the series’ games.