The Minnesota Timberwolves lost Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to leg injuries on Sunday. They won anyway—and they won convincingly.
Ayo Dosunmu, acquired from the Chicago Bulls in February, stepped into the void and delivered the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years, pouring in a career-high 43 points as the Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 to take a 3-1 series lead. Minnesota can close it out in Game 5 on Tuesday in Denver.
Dosunmu made 13 of 17 shots, went a perfect 5-of-5 from three, and converted all 12 of his free throws in 42 minutes of season-high playing time. The last reserve to score more in a playoff game was Fred Brown, who put up 45 off the bench for Seattle on 15 April 1976.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was not looking for measured praise. “Ayo was just out of this world, man. Just play after play after play,” he said. “He goes places quick. He’s an unbelievable finisher. He makes big shots. He’s not afraid. Just was going to ride him until he collapsed, really.”
Dosunmu understood the weight of the moment. “I know it sounds cliche, but I can’t and won’t take this moment for granted,” he said, “because I understand how long and how hard it is to get here.”
How Minnesota Won It Thanks to Ayo Dosunmu
The Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter and looked like they might wrestle the momentum back. Then Minnesota’s defence took over.
Bones Hyland and Dosunmu scored breakaway layups on consecutive possessions after the Timberwolves forced two Denver turnovers near halfcourt—the beginning of nine second-half turnovers for the Nuggets. Julius Randle added a steal and a fast-break dunk to put the Wolves up by four heading into the fourth.
From there, it was Dosunmu again. Another steal, another layup, as part of a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to 95-82. The basket that put the game fully out of reach was a three-pointer from 38-year-old Mike Conley—playing 20 minutes filling in for the injured Edwards and DiVincenzo—a veteran contribution that summed up the collective effort required on a night when Minnesota’s top two perimeter players were unavailable.
Denver’s Problems
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 30 points. Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists. Neither was enough, and the reason is straightforward: Denver shot just 6-of-27 from three-point range and Jokic and Murray combined to shoot 6-for-24 in the second half.
“We had the opportunity to score easier, get open looks, and we didn’t,” Jokic said. “And in the fourth quarter the momentum is on their side. They were making shots, they were playing with some energy and we didn’t have that.”
The game ended with Jokic and Randle both being ejected after Jaden McDaniels made a layup with 2.1 seconds remaining and Jokic—frustrated by the meaningless basket—confronted the Minnesota swingman near his bench. It was not a good look for a team that needs to reset and win on Monday.
Nuggets coach David Adelman remained defiant. “I expect us to have a great effort in Game 5. I really trust our two best players will find a rhythm, and they have to find that at home.”
They will need more than rhythm. They will need to find a way to stop a Minnesota team that has won three straight, just beat them without their two best perimeter players, and is playing with the kind of confidence that is very difficult to dislodge.
