Bold Denver Nuggets predictions for Game 7 vs. Timberwolves

On Sunday evening, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will play host to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinals series. The Timberwolves are coming off of a Game 6 home win in which they led by 50 (!) at one point in the game, but the Nuggets do have home-court advantage for the deciding contest as well as the best player on Planet Earth on their team in Jokic.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some predictions for the proceedings.

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Minnesota’s role players will cool down

A large part of the Game 6 victory for the Timberwolves was the play of their role players, particularly Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jaden McDaniels, each of whom hit three triples in that contest on at least 50 percent efficiency. McDaniels in particular was sensational, scoring 21 points on eight of ten shooting from the field and playing lock down defense on the other end of the floor.

However, in general, (although this series may not be the best indicator of it), role players tend to shoot better at home than on the road, and the fans in Denver will certainly be a bit more hostile than what the Wolves experienced back in Minnesota.

There’s also the natural added pressure that comes with a Game 7, something that some of Minnesota’s younger players–particularly Alexander-Walker and McDaniels–may not be very comfortable with.

And of course, the most natural rationale for this prediction is the fact that essentially all of the Timberwolves’ role players shot well above their season averages on Thursday, and it just isn’t very likely to happen twice in a row.

Jamal Murray will bounce back

One player who’s been the subject of intense scrutiny so far in this series has been Jamal Murray of the Nuggets, who threw a mini temper tantrum that he was lucky not to be suspended for in Game 2 but bounced back with solid if not great showings in the next three Denver wins.

However, in Game 6, Murray was absolutely abysmal, giving Jokic absolutely zero help and allowing the Timberwolves’ impressive array of help defenders to roam closer toward Jokic when he had the basketball.

If his track record is any indication, Murray is more than capable of stepping up in big moments, which Game 7 certainly qualifies as. Although still clearly limited by a calf injury sustained in the first round vs the Los Angeles Lakers, Murray has the propensity to step up when his team needs him most, and he should be expected to do so once again during Game 7.

The Nuggets will advance

There has perhaps been no series in recent NBA postseason history as difficult to predict as this one between the Nuggets and Timberwolves, given the wild swings we’ve seen so far.

However, what we do know is that the Nuggets a) have home court and b) have the best player of his generation in Nikola Jokic. Those two factors should be enough to give the Nuggets the edge in what figures to be a thrilling win-or-go-home Game 7 on Sunday evening.

Game 7 is set to get underway at 8:00 PM ET from the Ball Arena in Denver.