The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up a 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday — however not earlier than tempers flared. The Game 4 win, which gave Minnesota a 3-1 sequence lead, ended with a confrontation between Timberwolves ahead Jaden McDaniels and Nuggets middle Nikola Jokić in the final seconds.
With seconds ticking down and Minnesota up by double digits, McDaniels took the ball and made an open layup, somewhat than holding the ball to finish the sport. Jokić then took exception to the purpose, speeding over to confront McDaniels on the Timberwolves’ bench, with each groups forming a scrum.
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Following the scuffle, Jokić and Timberwolves ahead Julius Randle have been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, with 1.3 seconds remaining.
The Nuggets, who trailed 2-1 in the sequence heading into Game 4, held a slim lead all through a lot of the sport, with Minnesota losing starters Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo earlier than the top of the primary half. But the Timberwolves surged in the second half behind a profession night time from Ayo Dosunmu, who scored 43 factors off the bench.
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Postgame, Dosunmu didn’t appear too nervous in regards to the scuffle: “I ride with them 100%, right or wrong,” he stated of his teammates.
Minnesota middle Rudy Gobert additionally downplayed McDaniels’ resolution to take that last-second layup throughout a postgame interview on Inside the NBA.
“It’s the playoffs, man, you know. The game’s still going, he has the ball in his hands,” Gobert stated. “Nothing much to be mad about.”
It is unclear how the ejections will have an effect on Jokić and Randle’s availability going ahead, because the sequence returns to Denver for Game 5. The league may determine at hand down extra punishments after reviewing footage of the battle.
