For the second time in PO history

Minnesota, the National Basketball Association (NBA), defeated Denver 115-70 in Game 6 of the second round of the 2023-2024 NBA Playoff (PO) Western Conference held at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on the 17th, leading to the end of Game 7.

The 45-point margin is the second-largest in NBA PO history.

Minnesota, which was on the verge of a come-from-behind defeat by losing its first and second games to Denver by dropping its third and fifth games, grabbed its sixth game and balanced the series 3-3.
Minnesota, which ranked third in the West with 56 wins and 26 losses in the regular league and defeated the Phoenix Suns (6th, 49 wins and 33 losses) in the first round of PO, revived from the brink of a cliff.

Denver, the defending champion of the West (57 wins and 25 losses), aimed to win four consecutive games against Minnesota after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers (7th, 47 wins and 35 losses) in the first round of PO, but failed.

Game 7 will be held at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on the 19th.

Minnesota widened the gap with 20 consecutive points in the first quarter, and completely took the lead 31-14.

Minnesota, which maintained its gap in the second quarter, finished the first half with a 19-point lead, and entered the fourth quarter with an 86-61 lead thanks to Jaden McDaniels' performance with two three-pointers.

The cheering of home fans filled the stadium as Minnesota scored 26 points instead of giving up two points to Denver for about seven minutes from the start of the quarter.

Minnesota tied Denver to just nine points in the fourth quarter, tying the game to a 45-point victory, the second-largest in NBA playoff history.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards had 27 points and McDaniels had 21 points.

"Twin Tower" Carl Anthony Towns (10 points and 13 rebounds) and Rudy Gobert (8 points and 14 rebounds) also kept their feet under the goal.

In Denver, Nikola Jokic, who embraced the third NBA regular league MVP trophy, struggled with 22 points and 9 rebounds.

Denver's field goal success rate was just 30.2% and 3-point shooting was only 19.4%, well behind Minnesota in rebounding 43-62./Yonhap News

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