NBA Playoffs: Mike Conley's Return Completes Timberwolves As They Force Nuggets Decider

Anthony Edwards led the way with 27 points and Jaden McDaniels added 21 on 8-of-10 shooting, with the Timberwolves' win the second-largest NBA Playoff victory by a team facing elimination in history

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Updated on: 18 May 2024 4:59 pm

Mike Conley Jr. celebrates his team's Game 6 win.

Mike Conley Jr. said his return had completed the Minnesota Timberwolves after they crushed the Denver Nuggets to force a Game 7 in the teams' Western Conference semifinal series. (More Basketball News)

The Nuggets had the chance to eliminate the Timberwolves at Target Center on Thursday after going 3-2 up in the series, but the hosts roared back to tie things up with a 115-70 rout.

Anthony Edwards led the way with 27 points and Jaden McDaniels added 21 on 8-of-10 shooting, with the Timberwolves' win the second-largest NBA Playoff victory by a team facing elimination in history.

Edwards put the team's improvement down to the return of guard Conley, who missed Game 5 after suffering from soreness in his right Achilles tendon.

Asked what had changed for Minnesota, Edwards said: "We got Mike Conley back. That was it."

Conley said: "Obviously I wanted to play the last game. I just couldn't move at all. Tonight it was a no-brainer.

WHOLE SQUAD EFFORT.

Ant - 27 PTS / 3 STL
Jaden - 21 PTS / 2 BLK
Mike - 13 PTS / 5 AST
KAT - 10 PTS / 13 REB / 5 AST
Naz - 10 PTS / 11 REB pic.twitter.com/sVZnejXVC0
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 17, 2024

"I was going to try to find a way. We're just better when we're a complete team."

MVP Nikola Jokic had 22 points and nine rebounds for the defending champions, who were stunned by a 20-0 first-quarter run from the third-seeded Timberwolves.

Asked how Denver would look to forget about the loss, Jokic said: "I think we shouldn't.

"I think we need to let it sink in. It's a great loss. They destroyed us, and we should learn from it."