The Denver Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, suffered a surprising defeat in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite being considered favorites to reach the NBA Finals again, the Nuggets now find themselves in a must-win situation in Game 2.
Kevin Wildes of FS1’s “First Things First” noted that the Nuggets received a much-needed wake-up call in their Game 1 loss. One concerning trend is that Denver has consistently fallen behind by significant margins in their playoff games, including trailing 18-4 in Game 1 against the Timberwolves.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards scored 43 points in the game, with 12 of those coming in the fourth quarter, posing a significant challenge for the Nuggets moving forward. The defending champs will need to show a greater sense of urgency and get more production from guard Jamal Murray if they hope to make a comeback in the series.
Complacency is a common pitfall for defending champions in sports, and it seems to have affected the Nuggets early in the playoffs. To secure another shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Denver will need to address their slow starts and elevate their performance in the upcoming games. The pressure is on for the Nuggets to bounce back and prove they are still a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.