Anthony Edwards to Nuggets: ‘I’ll see y’all mother f*****s for Game 7’

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Anthony Edwards had some pretty direct words for the Denver Nuggets locker room staff after the Timberwolves lost Game 5 112-97, forcing an elimination game in Minnesota Thursday night: "I'll see y'all for Game 7."

That was the cleaned up version. He clarified exactly what he said after scoring 27 points in Thursday's 115-70 win in Game 6 at Target Center to force a Game 7 on Sunday. There were a few extra expletives.

"Hell yeah. They know, y’all was in there. I told them, I said ‘I’ll see y’all mother f*****s for Game 7.'"

The Timberwolves aren't done yet, not even close. With their season on the line, Minnesota dominated Denver after getting down 9-2 to start the game, answering with a 24-2 run to close the first quarter up 31-14. They didn't look back, leading 59-40 at half and by as many as 50 in the second half. Starters were pulled for both teams early in the fourth quarter. With their season on the line, the Timberwolves earned a dominant 45-point win.

Cameras captured Edwards pumping up his teammates on the bench after getting a first-quarter lead.

"This is what I was talking about the other day. We get a lead and get comfortable. Keep your foot on the gas," Edwards said.

Edwards had 19 of his 27 in the first half, but credited the win to Mike Conley Jr., who returned after missing Game 5 with an Achilles injury with 13 points, four rebounds and five assists. They looked more like the team that won Games 1 and 2, and not the group that had lost three straight. The coaching staff showed the team clips of plays they made to win the first two games in Denver, and that gave them a new confidence for Game 6.

"The last three games we was down on ourselves just trying to point the finger, blame somebody. Today before the game, the coaches, the whole staff put a clip together of the plays that we made in the two games that we won against these guys. Everybody started to believe after that edit. I can tell the energy shifted," Edwards said.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said there were two responses in Thursday's win. They had to respond from getting down 9-2 early in an elimination game, and they had to respond from their first three-game losing streak of the season. If they didn't, their season would be over.

"There was a response to the last three games, but the most important response was when we got down 9-2. We talked a lot today about getting our edge back, our swagger. To win it you’ve got to get four, they didn’t say how you’ve got to get them. It should be fun on Sunday," Finch said.

Edwards and Jaden McDaniels fueled the first-quarter response. McDaniels deflected a pass and found Edwards for a dunk that brought the Target Center crowd to its feet. McDaniels scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half.

The Timberwolves' defense from Games 1 and 2 re-emerged, and Denver missed the open shots they got. The Nuggets shot 30% from the field, and 7-of-36 from the 3-point range.

"They kicked our ass," Nikola Jokic said.

Edwards delivered the early knockout punch in the third quarter, getting by Michael Porter Jr. on a hesitation dribble for a dunk that gave the Timberwolves a 66-42 lead. Karl-Anthony Towns added 10 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Naz Reid had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

After taking the first two games of the series in Denver, then dropping the next three, the Timberwolves played with a desperation Thursday night to earn themselves a Game 7. They get it Sunday, which happens to be the 20-year anniversary of the Timberwolves beating the Sacramento Kings in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Finals. It's also Kevin Garnett's birthday.