The Timberwolves would like to throw away the Game 1 results, but watching film and taking notes of what happened, is beneficial to their chances in Game 2. 

On the bright side, it’s only one game, and the No. 1 seed is expected to win at home. The main goal is to win every game, but stealing one on the road is the most realistic option. You steal one on the road, and you’re heading back home with the series split. The Denver Nuggets are one of the best teams at home, owning the second-best record at 34-7.

However, they’re not as strong on the road, and that gives the Timberwolves a good chance at evening the series at the Target Center. Worst case, Denver wins two at home and loses their next two in Minnesota.

The Timberwolves have also played two high-intensity games this past week against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’ve also been traveling a lot and are probably feeling the effects of the altitude. Denver has been sitting at home, waiting for their next opponent, and it showed. The Nuggets just flat-out had more energy.

Anthony Edwards said this much after the game:

Karl-Anthony Towns also had a bad game. His shot selection wasn’t great to start the game, but he did get some pretty good looks as the night went on. It’s unlikely he follows up that performance with another 5-for-15 effort from the field. A good indication of how his night was going was in the third quarter when he missed two free throws in a row.

Edwards looked good offensively in the first half but didn’t have a great finish to the game. He’s been off for a few weeks, and the Wolves need all he has left in the tank to win this series.

Minnesota has to do a better job on offense. Here’s what Mike Conley had to say about the matter:

The Nuggets also shot 45.6 percent from the field and 41.0 from 3. Whereas the Timberwolves shot 37.0 percent from the field and 30.6 from 3. That’s not a recipe for success if you’re Minnesota.

Denver’s defense looked really good, which is surprising considering they rank 15th in the NBA.

Overall, there’s not a whole lot fans can get excited about in Game 1, but the Wolves were not well-rested compared to the Nuggets. KAT should have a better game, and a Minnesota blowout loss is nothing new. All season long, the Wolves have one game where they come out flat but usually follow up their performance with a much better effort. 

Let’s hope that is true, otherwise, this series could go south quickly.