Northwest Roundup: Edwards Expected to Play, Blazers Veterans Struggle, Wolves Eye Clean-Up, Nuggets Flex Defense
northwest-roundup-edwards-expected-to-play-blazers-veterans-struggle-wolves-eye-clean-up-nuggets-flex-defense
DENVER — Minnesota’s hopes of leveling its first-round series with Denver may rest on Anthony Edwards’ sore right knee, but signs point to the All-Star guard suiting up for tonight’s Game 2.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Monday that Edwards “is gonna be playing tonight… he’s gonna gut through it,” despite the team listing him as questionable with runner’s knee discomfort. The 22-year-old received a platelet-rich plasma injection late in the regular season to curb swelling and still requires periodic rest.
Edwards logged 38 minutes in Game 1, finishing with 22 points on 19 attempts, nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as Minnesota fell 113-104.
Blazers veterans search for rhythm
PORTLAND — Sunday marked Jerami Grant’s first playoff appearance since the 2019-20 Orlando bubble, but the forward admitted his long-awaited return did not unfold as planned. Grant and fellow veteran Jrue Holiday combined to shoot 6-for-21 in Portland’s Game 1 loss to San Antonio.
“I didn’t play great,” Grant told reporters. “There wasn’t really a lot of opportunity out there, but I didn’t play great. I think we’ve all got to be better, make some shots, figure out where we’re going to get our shots and just try to execute the game plan better.”
Finch calls for poise after self-inflicted mistakes
DENVER — Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed to “a lot of composure issues” following Game 1. Two turnovers stalled a second-half surge, and Finch noted stagnant off-ball movement that kept the offense stuck around the perimeter.
“Plays like that really hurt you in the playoffs, especially against an experienced team,” he said. Still, Finch dismissed panic: “Road team losing Game 1 on the road is nothing to really worry about… Everything flips when you win Game 2.”
Nuggets lean on full-court nuisance defense
DENVER — Denver’s defense, sporadic during the regular season, delivered in the opener. “They tried to bully us a little bit,” forward Spencer Jones said. “For us to match it from beginning to end and never give in, and see them be the ones complain to the refs more than we were, it shows how focused we were.”
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokić summed up the approach: “Just be annoying the whole game.”
Minnesota and Denver tip off Game 2 tonight at Ball Arena, while Portland aims to even its series in San Antonio on Tuesday.
Source: Hoops Rumors
