Timberwolves’ epic comeback topples Jokic and Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves erased a 20-point deficit to stun the Denver Nuggets 98-90, knocking the defending champions out of the NBA playoffs.

The Timberwolves followed up a 45-point victory in Game Six with an epic comeback to win their best-of-seven series 4-3 and book a Western Conference finals clash with the Dallas Mavericks.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, and Jaden McDaniels added 23 as the Timberwolves became the first team to come back from a half-time deficit of more than 11 points to win a Game Seven.

“I think our poise was the most [important] thing,” Anthony Edwards said.

Down by 15 at half-time, they trailed by 20 early in the third. But the Nuggets went cold as the Timberwolves cut the deficit to one point going into the final quarter.

Edwards, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, said coach Chris Finch told him at half-time to “play quicker.”

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 34 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists. Jamal Murray added 35 points.

In New York, the Indiana Pacers connected on a playoff-record 67.1 percent of their shots, making 53 of their 79 attempts from the floor, in a 130-109 victory that eliminated the Knicks in another Game Seven.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points while Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard added 20 apiece for the Pacers, who now face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.