The Nuggets will look to clinch their second straight trip to the Western Conference Finals when they face the Timberwolves in a winner-take-all Game 7 matchup at Ball Arena. The Wolves extended the series with a historic home rout in Game 6, setting the stage for a dramatic Game 7 between two of the top remaining contenders in the NBA. The winner will go on to host the Mavericks in Game 1 of the West Finals on Wednesday night. Mike Conley is expected to play for the matchup despite being listed as questionable with a calf injury.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT. Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial or with SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.
Who: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
When: Sunday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Denver
Stream: Sling; DirecTV Stream
Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats*
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jamal Murray failed to make a fadeaway on Denver’s first possession, then tried a floater that spun around the rim and spit out in portending fashion.
Neither of those misses hurt the normally smooth-shooting Nuggets point guard like what came next for him on defense in Minnesota in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.
As he tried to move around a high screen by Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert early in the first quarter on Thursday night, Murray hurt his right elbow in the collision with the NBA Defensive Player of the Year’s raised right elbow and immediately clutched over in pain. He flexed his arm back and forth to try to loosen up the joint as he turned up the court, but it never did.
Now he’s hurting again, and so are the defending champion Nuggets. They’ll host Game 7 on Sunday.
“I was never really getting into my rhythm again, and my team obviously needed me to tonight, and I didn’t,” said Murray, who also went 3 for 18 in the Game 2 loss. “So I’m disappointed in myself for not being able to give them the right production that I know I can.”
Murray finished just 4 for 18 from the floor for 10 points in the 115-70 defeat, playing 32 minutes before getting some extended rest in empty-the-bench time down the stretch as Minnesota built a lead as big as 50 points. He said he applied some numbing cream to the elbow to allow him to fully extend it on his jumpers without pain, but he never found his rhythm.
Murray, who was nagged by a strained left calf during the first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, has been bothered by right elbow pain in the past. He wears a protective sleeve over it.
With two off days until the decisive game instead of the typical one, Murray will have additional time to heal. Will that be enough?
“I hope, for our team’s sake,” he said. “I hope I can get it right.”
This has been quite the eventful postseason for Murray, who hit two last-second game-winners to oust the Lakers in five games in the first round. Then he chucked a heat pack onto the court from the bench in Denver during a Game 2 blowout by the Wolves that drew him a $100,000 fine from the league.
He bounced back strong with 24 points to lead the Nuggets to victory in Game 3, then sank a halftime buzzer-beater from beyond half court to highlight the Game 4 win in Minnesota.
Now all eyes will be on him again in Game 7 as he tries to shake off another disruption.
“It’s all behind us now,” Murray said. “I’ve just got to get ready and be able to be better for Sunday.”
TIMBERWOLVES AT NUGGETS
Tied, 3-3. Game 7, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: The Wolves have held the Nuggets to the two lowest point totals in the NBA playoffs this year, with a 106-80 romp on the road in Game 2 and the 115-70 beatdown at home in Game 6. The Nuggets are 3-1 in Game 7s in the playoffs with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. This game will be played on the 20th anniversary of Minnesota’s win in Game 7 over Sacramento to reach the Western Conference finals, the only other year in the franchise’s 35 seasons the Wolves have advanced past the first round.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Jokic. The Nuggets will rely hard on their hulking Serbian superstar after the rest of the team shot just 17 for 67 for a woeful 25% in Game 6. The Wolves had no answers for him in Game 5 when he racked up 40 points and 13 assists without a turnover.
— INJURY WATCH: Murray blamed his 4-for-18 shooting performance on his banged-up right elbow courtesy of a Rudy Gobert screen. Asked about Murray on Saturday, coach Michael Malone said, “He feels great. He was able to go through all of practice.” For the Wolves, Anthony Edwards landed hard on his tailbone during a drive to the basket in Game 6, but after gingerly getting up he didn’t miss any time.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Michael Porter Jr. The Nuggets’ forward is shooting just 3 for 15 from 3-point range in this series, and the Nuggets need the Porter who dominated the Lakers in the first round to show up Sunday.
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