NBA Western Conference semifinals
No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 3 Timberwolves
(Wolves lead series 2-1)
Game 3: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Target Center
TV; radio: ESPN; 100.3 FM and iHeartRadio app.
Stats and analytics: Tap here.
Opening bell: The Timberwolves won Game 2 in Denver without NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who was attending the birth of his child. And the Wolves’ smothering defense was still the story of the 106-80 victory as they held C Nikola Jokic to 5-of-13 shooting and G Jamal Murray to 3-of-18.
Watch him: Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns was brilliant in Gobert’s absence Monday, scoring 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting and spearheading a swarming defense inside. Towns’ three-point shooting ability (3-for-5 on Monday) is something the Nuggets might not be equipped to handle.
Injuries: For Denver, Murray (left calf strain), Reggie Jackson (left calf contusion) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (right abdominal contusion) are questionable. The Wolves list no injuries.
