Minnesota

Recap: Denver Nuggets take first with 116-107 victory over Minnesota Timberwolves

Published

9 months ago

April 11, 2024

Recap: Denver Nuggets take first with 116-107 victory over Minnesota Timberwolves

Apr 10, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) reacts after his dunk in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 in the regular season finale at Ball Arena to take over first place in the West, with just two games to go against conference bottom-feeders. Beat San Antonio and Memphis and they’ll clinch the title and home court advantage through at least the conference finals.

The game seemed less a battle of titans than of chess masters matching wits. For three quarters the game lacked passion and athletic displays, which turned out to be in favor of Denver (56-24), the ultimate thinking man’s team. Simply, Nikola Jokic and his cerebral teammates dissected the talented Wolves, now 55-25. The Nuggets displayed a master class of defense during the fourth quarter, announcing to the NBA that you might not like it, but they are the team to beat because when it comes down to it, they can turn it on.

Got Ball Arena jumpin’ tonight
Jok: 41 PTS / 11 REB / 7 AST / 3 STL
Mal: 20 PTS / 4 REB / 6 AST / 4-3PM
MPJ: 18 PTS / 8 REB / 2 AST pic.twitter.com/OxpPi8yB03
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— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 11, 2024

First Quarter

Both teams started the game by feeling each other out. Instead of one team dominating, it felt more exploratory. It started out as a cleanly played game without mistakes. Jamal Murray and KCP hit corner threes, and OMG so did Jaden McDaniels, proving once again a rando scores against us against all odds. Naz Reid picked up the Jokic turnover and had a nice slam. At 5 minutes left, Jokic hit a three, pulling Rudy Gobert into spaces he didn’t want to be. After a turnover, MPJ pulled up for a baby 15-footer that he made, and Twolves coach Finch called a timeout.

Ex-Nugget Monte Morris hit a couple threes, but Coach Malone left Jokic in the game to play with Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday until the last minute. The quarter ended with Minnesota leading 28-26. Twolves were 12 for 23 and the Nugs 11 for 23. There were only two free throws in the quarter, one each missed by Pope and Jokic. The Nuggets finished the quarter with 8 fastbreak points to the Wolves’ 2, and Finch observed, “They’re playing with a sense of urgency in transition.” So much for any worries that the Twolves might want this one more than the defending champs did.

Tight game after one #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/zgdQUlhM1t
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 11, 2024

Second Quarter

Aaron Gordon started the quarter playing center, the tried-and-true Malone move in big games. But it was PSwat bringing the defensive energy, stuffing SloMo at the rim, somehow. Holiday hit a nice 3 from the quarter at 10:25. Watson made another spectacular block at 9:31 on SloMo and got hit with a foul, bad call that put Minnesota on the free-throw line for the first time in the game. SloMo will be seeing PSwat in his nightmares.

Three blocks in five minutes for Swatson 🚫 pic.twitter.com/MEwhFsvLFm
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 11, 2024

Gordon, with new suction cup hickeys on his shoulders, turned the ball over. Rusty, perhaps. The Wolves went on a 6-point run to make it 36-33. A low score looming. The Nuggets bench offense was incompetent, Jackson just 1-6 shooting in desperate iso moves, forcing Malone to sub Jokic back in with 7:20 to go. The Nuggets offense with the starters stalled. The Nuggets fumbled the ball around for five turnovers that gave the Wolves a 10-nothing run over 4:30 minutes. Murray stopped the pain with a 3-pointer. The Wolves finished the quarter playing good defense, capitalizing on their length and stuffing the Nugs. SloMo guarded Jokic and Gobert played volleyball on the back line. That’s the classic Jokic defense if our shooters aren’t hitting off his passes. Score 52-49, Minny, and only seven free throws between the two teams, a sure sign of a shortage of aggression.

Third Quarter

Edwards and Murray traded in-your-face threes. And finally the Jokic Gordon alley oop play hit to light up the Ball Arena crowd. Anthony Edwards showed that he’s too strong for KCP, bullying him in the paint. Edwards made two on the foul call. Conley’s threes continued, annoyingly. At around 7 minutes Denver made a push. Jokic got fouled but made the push shot off the Murray feed to make it 64-62 with 7:37 to go in the third. At about 6 minutes left, Naz Reid made a killer layup that hurt the Nuggets. The intensity of the game ramped up as the quarter ended. Jokic tied the game when he rolled into the paint, accepted a KCP pass, got submarined by SloMo and made the shot anyway. Joker finished the quarter with 32 points so far in the game, 15 in the quarter. Denver outscored MIN 34-28 during the quarter and took an 83-80 lead into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

Jokic took his well-deserved rest and the Nuggets seemed severely short, with Porter and Gordon the only bigs on the front line. Rudy was totally in the roaming mode, not what the Nugs wanted. At 9 minutes, PSwat got his fifth block of the game, and Braun blocked the putback right after that. A key Porter putback on a Gordon miss gave the Nuggets a 4-point lead, causing Finch to call timeout.

Jokic returned at 7:31 with the Nuggets up 91-87. The bench was plus-1 in the non-Jokic minutes during the quarter. Denver worked the score to 93-87 and ran it up from there. Braun and Watson were beasts down the stretch, dunking at will, thrilling the Ball Arena crowd.

Conclusion

The Nuggets played all their starters. Clearly, they wanted this game. They got it. Any questions, NBA? Edwards minus 17 along with the rest of the Wolves starters with similar plus-minus numbers. This game, one that mattered, has to weigh on the minds of the Timberwolves players, organization and their fans. Nothing but respect for the team and its great and faithful fan base. But. Can the Wolves get it done when it matters? They have built a magnificent team. But there’s that Denver thing. That Jokic and Murray thing.

WE’RE READY!!! Be at your best when your best is needed! 🎱 #MileHighBaby https://t.co/BFqKAGYJLF
— Peyton Watson (@peytonwatson_) April 11, 2024

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Minnesota

Goalie Nicole Hensley stars as league-leading Minnesota Frost top New York Sirens in shootout | CBC Sports

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Goalie Nicole Hensley stars as league-leading Minnesota Frost top New York Sirens in shootout | CBC Sports

Nicole Hensley made back-to-back saves in the shootout and the Minnesota Frost earned their fourth straight victory with a 4-3 win over the New York Sirens on Sunday in Newark, N.J.

It was the fourth time in seven all-time meetings that a game between the teams was decided in OT and the second this season. New York won the season opener in St. Paul, Minn.

Kendall Coyne Schofield scored two first-period goals to stake the Frost to the early lead and Taylor Heise beat Kayle Osborne, who relieved starter Abigail Levy in the New York net to start the second period, two minutes in to make it a 3-0 lead.

WATCH l Heise scores shootout winner:

Minnesota captures shootout win over New York to remain on top of PWHL standings

Taylor Heise’s fourth round shootout goal turned out to be the difference as the Minnesota Frost defeated New York Sirens 4-3 Sunday in New Jersey.

But Osborne did not allow another goal in regulation and wasn’t seriously challenged in overtime while the Sirens staged a comeback. Brooke Hobson and Elizabeth Giguere each scored in the second period and Alex Carpenter pounced on a loose puck and lifted a shot over Hensley’s shoulder from deep in the face-off circle to tie the game midway through the third period.

Hensley was brilliant in overtime, turning away four close-in, open shots by the Sirens (2-1-1-1), two of them on breakaway chances.

Minnesota (4-0-1-0) got goals from Denisa Křížová, Grace Zumwinkle and Heise in the shootout. Noora Tulus and Carpenter each converted in the shootout for New York, but Hensley came up with a save on Sarah Fillier before stopping the final two shooters for the Sirens.

Hensley finished with 33 saves on 36 shots to earn the win. Osborne made 18 saves on 19 shots over her 45 minutes in goal for New York. Carpenter’s two-goal effort lifted her past Coyne Schofield and into the league lead with four goals in her first five games and she now has a league-leading seven points.

WATCH l Sirens’ Fillier, Carpenter test their off-ice chemistry:

New York Sirens’ Sarah Fillier, Alex Carpenter test their off-ice chemistry

Host Anastasia Bucsis puts newest teammates and linemates to the test to determine if their chemistry on the ice, translates off it.

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Minnesota

Unique northern Minnesota border airport closing after 70 years

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Unique northern Minnesota border airport closing after 70 years

A northern Minnesota airport with an unusual claim to fame is closing after 70 years of operation.

The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport near Roseau is the only airport with a paved runway crossing the U.S.-Canada border.

The border airport opened in 1953 to expedite customs processing for air travelers and was regularly used by hunters and anglers flying to Canada.

The Piney Pinecreek airport has the only paved runway crossing the US Canada border.

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Initially, the airport had a grass runway that ended at the border, but in 1978 a runway expansion added a paved runway that extended into Canada.

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Customs agents would meet travelers on either side of the border.

But declining usage and significant impending repair costs led to the decision to close the one of a kind operation, said Ryan Gaug, director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation aeronautics office.

“We know that the pavement condition has declined significantly over the years and will need a reconstruct most likely in the next one to three years,” said Gaug.

Short-term costs to bring the facility up to safety standards is estimated at $3.8 million.

Piney-Pinecreek is the only airport owned by MnDOT, and it is operated in collaboration with the Rural Municipality of Piney, Manitoba.

A Canadian official said the local government could not raise the money to pay its share of the planned improvement costs and Piney officials ended the joint operations agreement.

Gaug said an estimated 200 airplanes a year use the facility, far lower than traffic at similar sized facilities.

There are six airports on the U.S.-Canada border, but Piney-Pinecreek is the only one with a paved runway.

“It’s always been the No. 1 fun fact that I’ve shared with friends, family, coworkers, colleagues here at MnDOT,” said Gaug.

“It’s a tough decision to close an airport ever, but the evidence was all there that now was the time,” he said.

concrete with black stripes — MnDOT officials said the runway at Piney Pinecreek border airport needs a costly reconstruction.
Courtesy MnDOT

There are no local airplanes based at the airport.

“It’s very sad for the community to lose its airport,” said Marlin Elton, a local resident who served on the airport commission and helped maintain the facility for 30 years.

Elton said the closure hasn’t raised concerns in the community because “if you don’t fly, it won’t affect you. The ones who will be affected are the pilots who use it.”

Gaug said MnDOT reached out to pilots and aviation groups to gauge support for keeping the airport open but found “there just isn’t a strong user base for this airport and that also led to not a strong local support fighting to keep this airport.”

The final day of operations for the Piney-Pinecreek airport is Dec. 26.

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