The Western Conference Semifinals continue on Sunday night when the Denver Nuggets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver stormed back in Game three to grab their first win of the series after Minnesota won the first two in Mile High. Denver was a 3.5-point underdog, but won outright by 27 points to bring the series tally to 2-1. The Nuggets will look to even the series on Sunday in the second game in Minnesota.

Denver is Still Alive

The Denver Nuggets were in a dangerous spot in Game three. They had already lost the first two games of the series and were faced with a must-win scenario for the first game in Minnesota. No team has come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA, and Denver avoided this fate by winning big on the road by 27 points. Denver used a balanced attack to win the game, as all three starters scored in double-figures, and no one went over 25. Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Jamal Murray scored 24 points and Michael Porter Jr. added another 21.

The Nuggets top three scorers are all averaging over 20 points in the playoffs. Jokic still leads the team with 26.6 PPG, and also leads the way with 14.9 RPG and 9.4 APG. He rarely comes off the floor as he is leading the team in minutes played in the postseason, averaging 40.0 MPG. Jamal Murray is averaging 20.9 PPG and 5.9 APG, he only scored eight points in Game two, but followed that up with 24 points in a Game three win. Michael Porter Jr. has stepped up in the postseason, he is averaging 20.5 PPG and 7.1 RPG, while knocking down 3.6 threes per game on a red-hot 48.3% shooting from deep. Aaron Gordon is their athletic forward getting 13.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG, he had 20 points in the Game 2 loss.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is their fifth starter, he fills his role as a spot-up shooter and perimeter defender, averaging 8.0 PPG. Denver has not gotten much production off the bench, as their top second-unit scorer has been Christian Braun at just 4.1 PPG. Justin Holiday and Reggie Jackson also get some time. The Nuggets rank 4th in NBA in offensive efficiency and 9th in defensive efficiency.

Injury Report:

Questionable: Jamal Murray is battling a calf injury, but is likely to play.

Opportunity Lost

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a chance to go up 3-0 in this series, which would virtually lock up a spot in the Western Conference Finals, but fell short in Game three. The underdog has now won every game in this series so far, and Minnesota will want this game to maintain home-court advantage throughout the series as the lower seed. Nobody on Minnesota scored 20 points in the game, as they were led by Anthony Edwards with 19 points and six rebounds in the loss.

Anthony Edwards has been the leading scorer for the T-Wolves this postseason with 30.4 PPG. He also averages 6.7 RPG and 5.7 APG. The 19 points he scored in Game three was his lowest scoring total of the series. Karl-Anthony Towns is their second-leading scorer in the playoffs with 19.7 PPG, while also grabbing 8.4 RPG. Both top scorers have shot well from three, Edwards averages 3.0 makes per game on 41.2% shooting, while Towns is making 2.6 per game on 58.1% shooting. Rudy Gobert rejoined the team after missing Game Two, he is averaging 12.0 PPG and 10.2 RPG so far. Mike Conley is averaging 10.7 PPG as the veteran point guard, and Jaden McDaniels scores 10.3 PPG as a perimeter defender.

Unlike the Nuggets, Minnesota has gotten strong performances off the bench in the postseason. Naz Reid is averaging 10.7 PPG and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 10.6 PPG. They rank 17th in offensive efficiency and 1st in defensive efficiency. They play at the 22nd-fastest pace in the league.

Injury Report:

Questionable: Nickeil Alexander-Walker played through pain in his shoulder and will be a game-time decision.