WATCH: Jaden McDaniels closes first half with clutch putback buzzer-beater against Denver Nuggets
The Minnesota Timberwolves showcased their skills against the Denver Nuggets in a must-win Game 6 elimination of the Western Conference semifinals. Jaden McDaniels kicked off the game with a remarkable play, helping Minnesota take a 19-point lead in the first half.
In the final seconds of the second half, Aaron Gordon turned the ball over. Anthony Edwards made an athletic leap near half-court to intercept it and passed to Mike Conley in the right corner. Conley drove into the paint and then dished it out to forward Naz Reid for an open three-pointer, which he missed.
As the ball rimmed out, Jaden McDaniels made a smart play by crashing between three Denver players to secure the offensive rebound and complete the putback layup at the buzzer.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets first-half summary
The Denver Nuggets started strong, maintaining the form that led them to rout the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5, quickly taking a 9-2 lead and forcing a quick timeout from the hosts.
However, unlike the previous encounter, the Timberwolves responded with a crippling 20-0 run. Their nerves settled as their shots began to fall, and the defending champs found themselves reeling, trailing 31-14 after the first quarter.
The Nuggets showed more fight in the second quarter, nearly doubling their first-period output. While Nikola Jokic continued to trouble the Timberwolves, Jamal Murray struggled, going 1-for-10 and finishing with just two points. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards scored 19 points, with Denver unable to blitz him as effectively as in Game 5.
The return of Mike Conley relieved some pressure, and Jaden McDaniels' 13 first-half points contributed significantly to Minnesota's 59-49 halftime lead.
Karl-Anthony Towns missed all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, while Anthony Edwards had a scorching-hot start, going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Similarly, Nikola Jokic couldn't find his range, missing all three of his attempts from distance. Jamal Murray struggled as well, putting up the same 0-for-3 line as Jokic.