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  • Struggles in Game 5 loss
    Reid contributed seven points (3-8 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and one block in 20 minutes during Tuesday's 112-97 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Reid was a non-factor in the loss, continuing his recent struggles. Coming off a career-best regular season, Reid has been unable to produce consistently during the postseason. He has scored fewer than 15 points in eight of the Timberwolves' nine playoff games. Now facing a must-win matchup, Reid will look to turn things around in front of his home fans. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 11:38 pm
     
  • Anthony Edwards scores 18 but struggles on Tuesday
    Anthony Edwards shot 5-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the foul line in Tuesday’s 112-97 loss to Denver, accounting for 18 points, four rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 44 minutes.

    Advice: Minnesota played Game 5 without Mike Conley, who was sidelined by a sore right Achilles. That placed even more responsibility on Edwards’ shoulders, which may not have been a good thing. Ant-Man did dish out a team-high nine assists, but he was also responsible for four turnovers while shooting 33.3% from the field. Aggression is never an issue for Edwards, but shouldering the offensive workload is considerably easier when he has his reliable sidekick on the court. Game 6 is on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:54 pm
     
  • Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) scores team-high 23 PTS
    Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee soreness) amassed 23 points (10-of-19 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 38 minutes in Tuesday’s Game 5 loss to the Nuggets.

    Advice: Already playing without Mike Conley (Achilles), the Timberwolves experienced an injury scare with Towns during the first half of Tuesday’s game. He appeared to bang his knee on the leg of Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who lost his balance while closing out on the Timberwolves big. Towns did have to exit the game, but only briefly, as he returned after spending a few minutes on the exercise bike. The 23 points are the most KAT has scored in a game since Game 2 (27 points). However, his minus-17 rating was the worst among the Timberwolves who saw action on Tuesday. Towns will need to be better in Game 6 on Thursday if Minnesota is to force a Game 7. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:46 pm
     
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker scores 14 points Tuesday
    Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished Tuesday’s 112-97 loss to Denver with 14 points (5-of-12 FGs), two rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and four 3-pointers in 39 minutes.

    Advice: Due to Mike Conley (Achilles) sitting out Game 5, Alexander-Walker was moved into the starting lineup. While he did finish with a minus-13, the overall stat line was solid. NAW made four of his eight 3-point attempts, and his five assists were countered by one turnover. Alexander-Walker’s place in the rotation for Thursday’s Game 6 depends on Conley’s availability; clearly, he will return to the bench if the Timberwolves’ starting point guard can play. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:26 pm
     
  • Jamal Murray finishes Game 5 win with 16 points
    Jamal Murray accumulated 16 points (7-of-14 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, four assists, and one steal in 41 minutes in Tuesday’s 112-97 win over Minnesota.

    Advice: Murray has been considerably better since he scored 25 points on 9-of-32 shooting in the first two games of this series. While Tuesday’s point total was modest, he shot 50% from the field and did most of his damage in the paint. Murray shot 6-of-10 in the paint, with five of those makes occurring in the restricted area. With Nikola Jokic abusing the Timberwolves and tallying 40 points and 13 assists without any turnovers, the Nuggets did not need a high-scoring night from Murray. Game 6 is on Thursday in Minneapolis, with Denver aiming to close out the series. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:22 pm
     
  • Unstoppable: Nikola Jokic goes off for 40 points
    Nikola Jokic played 40 minutes in Tuesday’s 112-97 win over Minnesota, tallying 40 points (15-of-22 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), seven rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: For the first time in this series, the home team won. And Jokic was the deciding factor, as Minnesota had no answer for him in Game 5. The Joker became the second player in NBA postseason history to finish a game with at least 40 points, 10 assists, and no turnovers, joining Chris Paul (2018). On the night he received his third Most Valuable Player trophy, Jokic showed the basketball world why he was bestowed that honor. He and the Nuggets will look to wrap up the series on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Rotoworld Yesterday, 10:08 pm
     
  • Briefly exits Tuesday
    Towns left Tuesday's game versus the Nuggets with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter due to an apparent left knee injury but checked back in with 1:23 left in the first quarter.

    Advice: Towns appeared to aggravate the left knee that he had surgically repaired in March after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope inadvertently tripped him, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports. However, Towns missed less than a minute of game action and should be available to finish Tuesday's contest. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:11 pm
     
  • MIN starting NAW, Edwards, Jaden, Towns, Gobert
    Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert will start Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Nuggets.

    Advice: The Timberwolves are without Mike Conley, who injured his right Achilles tendon on the final play of Sunday’s Game 4 defeat. Alexander-Walker moves into the starting lineup, which also means even more opportunities for Edwards to serve as the primary playmaker. Jordan McLaughlin and Monte Morris could enter the rotation, as Minnesota will need them to help navigate Conley’s absence. Rotoworld Yesterday, 7:04 pm
     
  • Gets starting nod
    Alexander-Walker is in the starting five for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Nuggets.

    Advice: Alexander-Walker will replace Mike Conley (Achilles) in the starting lineup Tuesday. Alexander-Walker averaged 11.5 points, 3.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes across his previous 10 starting appearances this season, which all came during the regular season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 7:04 pm