The Minnesota Timberwolves knocked defending NBA champions the Denver Nuggets out of the play-offs by beating them 98-90 in the deciding game of their Western Conference semi-final series.
The Timberwolves were trailing by 20 points at one stage in the third quarter but staged a comeback to win game seven and take the series 4-3.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels each scored 23 points for Minnesota, who will play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
The Indiana Pacers also progressed as they earned a 130-109 victory against the New York Knicks to win their Eastern Conference semi-final series 4-3.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points for the visiting Pacers, who set an NBA play-off record by shooting 67.1% from the field.
They will now take on the Boston Celtics.
Minnesota won for a third time at Denver in their series and victory meant they reached the Western Conference final for the first time in 20 years.
In the process, they became the first team to come back from a half-time deficit of more than 11 points to win a game seven.
“It showed us who we are,” said Anthony Edwards, who scored 16 points for Minnesota.
“The coaches believed in us, even in the third when we were down 20. Once we really lock in on the defensive end, we’re a hell of a team to beat.”
Jamal Murray scored 35 points for the Nuggets and team-mate Nikola Jokic added 34 points as their defence of the title came to an end.
“The teams are more hungry, better, [more] talented than last year,” said this season’s Most Valuable Player Jokic.
“Everybody gets better. Everybody wants to beat us, probably.”
PJ Washington scored two late free throws as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-116 in a thrilling game to reach the NBA Western Conference Finals.
The Mavericks transformed a 75-58 deficit in the third quarter into a 115-110 lead with just over a minute remaining before the top-seeded Thunder scored six unanswered points.
Washington was fouled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he attempted a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining.
He made the first two free throws before intentionally missing the third.
Although the Thunder collected the rebound, Jalen Williams’ long-range effort was well off target as the Mavericks took the best-of-seven series 4-2.
They will face defending NBA champions the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves, who meet in a game seven decider on Sunday, in the conference finals.
The winners of that seven-game series will reach the NBA Finals starting on 6 June.
Luka Doncic scored 29 points and made 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Mavericks, who have reached the conference finals twice in three years.
“It definitely feels good to get the series done,” said Dallas’ Kyrie Irving.
“Being down 17 in a close-out game isn’t a position you want to be in.
“We had to respond the way we’ve responded all season, just playing hard-nosed basketball on the defensive end, getting out in transition and just trusting that our pace would get us back in the game.”
Gilgeous-Alexande, who scored 36 points for the Thunder, said: “If I had the moment back I wouldn’t have fouled him; let him make or miss the shot.
“Basketball – you win some, you lose some. You make mistakes.”
SOURCE: BBC
