Wolves see off Nuggets as Knicks thrash Hawks to advance, 76ers force Game 7 with Celtics

[p]Sixth-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota[/a] will play the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] in the Western Conference semi-finals after completing a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/denver-nuggets-CxvW27TI/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/?mid=dKAFe7rA"]110-98 win[/a] for a 4-2 series upset defeat of third-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Denver[/a].[/p][p]Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Jokic[/a] top-scored for Denver with 28 but it was not enough to fend off the dogged Timberwolves, who were playing without star man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edwards-anthony/6u0BMZM2/"]Anthony Edwards[/a] due to injury.[/p][p][b]The clash in Minneapolis was tight throughout, with no team gaining a double-digit lead until the game's dying moments.[/b][/p][p]The Timberwolves edged the first half, leading 57-50 at the break.[/p][p]Jokic roared to life. The Serbian superstar scored 14 points in the third quarter alone to ensure a nail-biting finish.[/p][embed guid="60e5b7de-7724-4378-bc96-b89de1b49d54" url="https://x.com/Timberwolves/status/2050076749174607887" social-type="twitter" /][p]Having already been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct from game four after a shoving match, Jokic enraged the home crowd by sparking another brawl, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clark-jaylen/My4DT8ae/"]Jaylen Clark[/a].[/p][p]With his Timberwolves leading by five with 90 seconds remaining, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcdaniels-jaden/0pp52ftg/"]Jaden McDaniels[/a] sank a long jump-shot for two to rouse the home fans and force a Nuggets timeout.[/p][p]When play resumed Denver could only turn over the ball again. McDaniels closed out the win with two free throws, ending his night with a career-high 32 points, to top-score overall.[/p][p][b]"It's a great night. It's a great victory for us. Hopefully... we've got 12 more to go,"[/b] said Minnesota coach Chris Finch.[/p][p][b]"We came into these playoffs not trying to beat Denver, but trying to win a championship."[/b][/p][embed guid="3b0f22ba-506e-4186-92b5-083b3dff3523" url="https://x.com/Timberwolves/status/2050089439267807409" social-type="twitter" /][p]A visibly crestfallen Jokic, whose side last won the NBA championship just three years ago, said they "just didn't do a good job."[/p][p][b]"I needed to play better. I must play better,"[/b] he added.[/p][p]Edwards - out with a bone bruise and hyper-extended left knee - could return for the Timberwolves' series with the high-flying Spurs.[/p][h2]'Meet the moment'[/h2][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]Knicks[/a] wrapped up a 4-2 series win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/?mid=dMoeHo5C"]in utterly emphatic style[/a], leading the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Hawks[/a] by as much as 61 points before benching their starters for the final quarter.[/p][p]It was the most points scored and the biggest win by the Knicks in a playoff game, setting up an Eastern Conference semi-final with either the Celtics or the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]76ers[/a], who are tied 3-3 after a Philadelphia win.[/p][p]New York's 47-point half-time lead, at 83-36, was the widest in NBA post-season history.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anunoby-og-ogugua/jiNJMxEa/"]OG Anunoby[/a] top-scored with 29 points, including 26 in the first half, before he was rested. None of New York's starters played more than 29 minutes.[/p][p]"[b]We can't just meet the moment, we've got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight,[/b]" said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/towns-karl-anthony/8np46E9P/"]Karl-Anthony Towns[/a], who recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.[/p][embed guid="294f1ca4-539a-4238-801a-69a8ba2b6de6" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2050029020222251097?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Having finished third in the Eastern Conference, the heavily favored Knicks had been down 2-1 early in the playoff series, before roaring back.[/p][p]They are the first team to advance to the East's semi-finals - their fourth straight year of reaching that stage.[/p][p]The Hawks briefly led at the start of the game, going up 11-9 before the wheels dramatically came off.[/p][p]They trailed 40-15 at the end of the first quarter, and with the Atlanta crowd shellshocked, the Hawks players grew frustrated.[/p][p]A scuffle broke out between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robinson-mitchell/S0UU8oWb/"]Mitchell Robinson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daniels-dyson/r5pENvXa/"]Dyson Daniels[/a], with other members of both teams getting involved.[/p][p]But with the game clearly over, the second half was largely incident-free.[/p][p]The 51-point margin of defeat was not quite the largest in playoff history, which stands at 58 points.[/p][p]"[b]Obviously, you hate to lose anything. And to lose the way we did, I think, particularly given the enthusiasm and support that we've had from the people in this building... disappointed on a lot of levels,[/b]" said Hawks coach Quin Snyder.[/p][h2]Historic rivals set up Game 7[/h2][p]The Celtics-76ers playoff series is headed for a decisive game seven in Massachusetts after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia[/a] beat Boston [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=UJ1paB9T"]106-93[/a].[/p][embed guid="d32d9d81-358f-486b-aea7-a1aa909655e2" url="https://x.com/sixers/status/2050041640161542324" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Celtics[/a] had held a 3-1 series lead, but the 76ers proved dominant on their home court to make it 3-3.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maxey-tyrese/r9DvnZeC/"]Tyrese Maxey[/a] top-scored with 30 points. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/george-paul/KOvfaZVQ/"]Paul George[/a] added 23, and 2023 Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embiid-joel/G2hZm0nI/"]Joel Embiid[/a] poured in another 19, plus 10 rebounds and eight assists.[/p][p]It is the 23rd playoff series between the two historic rivals - an NBA record.[/p]