Michael Malone Furiously Runs Onto The Court And Goes Face-To-Face With Referee After No-Call

Malone somehow didn't receive a technical for his behavior in this interaction, which is pretty mindblowing because we have seen players receive technicals for much smaller incidents. The Nuggets offense unraveled after this point, as the Wolves finished the second half with a 61-35 lead.

The Wolves already hold a 1-0 lead over the Nuggets and the series heads to Minnesota after this game. If the Nuggets lose both their home games, a series win will look unlikely for the reigning champions. Game 2 has been a defensive clinic for the Wolves even with the absence of Rudy Gobert.

Stephen A. Smith Knew The Timberwolves Would Beat The Nuggets

Not many people were confident enough in picking the Wolves to make a deep run in the West and be able to beat a team like the Denver Nuggets. From being viewed as an easy first-round matchup for a lower seed to now, the Wolves will be viewed as the favorites to win the NBA title if they can beat the Nuggets in this series.

Few people openly predicted the Wolves to win this matchup, but Stephen A. Smith was one of them. He backed Minnesota because of the incredible talent of Anthony Edwards.

"I got Anthony Edwards in the Minnesota Timberwolves winning this series. I mean I've seen enough. This brother is something. He is so sensational, it's hard to put into words." 

Smith rattled off a bunch of Edwards stats that prove he's been one of the most impactful players of the postseason Edwards has scored 16 points at the half against the Nuggets in Game 2 and is averaging 33.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the 2024 Playoffs. He has carried the Wolves offense on multiple occasions while being one of the best perimeter defenders in the playoffs.

The Nuggets are facing a matchup nightmare while players like Jamal Murray have gone cold offensively. Minnesota's defense is so good that the margin for error on offense is minimal, and the Nuggets aren't playing the perfect ball we saw them play last year when they won the title.