On May 7, the quarterfinals of the NBA playoffs will be played between Denver and Minnesota. Starts at 5:00 Moscow time. Experts have already made a forecast: they consider the hosts as favorites. You can bet the Nuggets to win by 1.46 and the Timberwolves’ odds are estimated at 2.80.
Odds of bookmakers for the second game of the quarterfinals of the NBA playoffs “Denver Nuggets” – “Minnesota Timberwolves” on May 7, 2024
Analysts believe that the meeting between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves will be productive: a total greater than 204.5 points is equivalent to 1.64, and a total less than 204.5 points is equivalent to 2.09. Bets on the match going to extra time can be placed for 15.75.
Analysis and forecast for the second game of the Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves series (05/07/2024)
On May 7, the Denver Nuggets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena in Game 2 of their NBA playoff quarterfinal series. The referee will put the ball into play at 5:00 Moscow time. The first meeting ended with the defeat of the “Nuggets” by 99:106, so fans expect an immediate reaction from Nikola Jokic.
The army team slowed down:
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Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch chose an unconventional scheme in the series opener, assigning three tall players under Nuggets leader Nikola Jokic: Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reed. The Serbian center basically met his quota on offense, scoring 32 points, but Denver lost the rebound battle (34:42).
Under constant pressure from the Minnesota defense, Jokic tired quickly and his guards were regularly rested on the bench while Chris Finch made smart substitutions. By the way, the Timberwolves could have been without a coach for two or three games in the playoffs of this series, since he was injured and had leg surgery, but he couldn’t leave his players.
Jamal Murray (17 points) and Aaron Gordon (nine points) didn’t help Jokic much. These Denver starters suffered a huge 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and maintained a high level of focus in almost every game. But in the meeting with the “wood wolves” they were not prepared for the rival’s dedication. We need to improve!
Having lost the battle for rebounds, Denver was practically doomed, as Minnesota attacked the rim with a high shooting percentage (52.4), while the Nuggets’ positional attack was not going well: 46.7%. The Timberwolves defended tenaciously, leaving no space for open shots.
“Glassers” – favorites:
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On the other hand, it is worth highlighting the phenomenal play of the Timber Wolves offensive defenseman, Anthony Edwards. He was on the court for 42 minutes and scored 43 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. At the same time, the leader of the Timberwolves lost the ball only once.
This made him the second 22-year-old player in league history, after Kobe Bryant, to score 40 or more points in two consecutive playoff games. Edwards has improved significantly this season, but will he be able to score consistently in this series, because it is very dangerous to underestimate Denver’s defense?
The Denver Nuggets game clearly lacked the emotions that they completely threw in the last game of the series against the Los Angeles Lakers (108:106). Breaking the resistance of LeBron James was not the easiest thing, so the “Nuggets” were clearly not in the mood for the first meeting with the “timber wolves” from the first minutes, failing in the opening segment (2:14 ), but at the cost of extreme efforts the team returned to the game.
It will be an interesting match:
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It was Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone’s turn to make a response move. He knows how to quickly change the offensive scheme and will surely use Murray and Gordon to the fullest. Jokic is a great director and 10-12 assists is not the limit for him. Furthermore, the Serbian is superior to the Guardians in decision-making speed. We assume that the “nuggets” will win with a handicap (-5.5) of 1.93.
Prediction and bets for the NBA playoff game “Denver” – “Minnesota” May 7, 2024
To some extent, the loss in the first game should benefit Denver and restore the team’s usual level of focus. Murray and Gordon are high-level players and simply have no right to fail for the second game in a row. Edwards’ guarding will be a big focus, which will ultimately be a key factor in the Nuggets’ favor. We believe in his victory with a handicap (-5.5).
Tender: Denver victory with a handicap (-5.5) by 1.93.
