The Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-90 in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday, turning the series 2-1 instead of a desperate 3-0 deficit.

The two teams had a three-day break between Game 2 and Game 3, and that might have been in the Nuggets' favor. Jamal Murray, who was the team's worst-performing player in Game 1 and Game 2, shot 11-for-21 from the field to get 24 points, tying Nikola Jokic for court high.

Murray was able to bounce back partly because he had his burst back after having enough rest and partly because the whole team implemented the offensive policy of having him attack Karl-Anthony Towns with determination. Towns did a good job of tussling with Jokic in the previous two games, but he was still a defensive weak link when he was guarding screen plays, especially when they involved the great heads on the shoulders of Jokic and Murray.

Jokic contributed 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists on Friday night. Though he was under a lot of criticism for shooting no more than 13 field goals (FGs) in Game 2, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) didn't turn on his full power to launch an individual attack against the Timberwolves' well-designed defense for him. Instead, Jokic did what he has always been good at: drawing attention from the opponents' best defenders and then passing to teammates for open buckets. The only difference was that he did it with better patience by exploiting the opponents' overreaction on the defensive end.

The Timberwolves had their four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, back in Friday's game. It was an enhancement to their protection of the paint but relatively weakened their defensive rotations on the perimeter. If he dropped back, Towns was a sitting duck in front of the Nuggets' dynamic perimeter offense that involved successive screens and handoffs; if Gobert closed out, the Timberwolves would be too vulnerable to Jokic's charging of the paint as well as on the offensive glass.

Jokic only showed glimpses of individual attacking brilliance in the third quarter, when he made five of his six FG attempts to get 13 points. He also led the court in offensive rebounds (four) on Friday. His teammates responded to his playmaking and trust with a high shooting percentage from the field. Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Justin Holiday combined to knock down nine triples out of 12 attempts. All five players in the team's starting lineup scored double-digit points.

The Nuggets' defense in Friday's game was also impressive. Their intention was simple, which was to stop Anthony Edwards from dominating the floor. The defender on him would go around the screen to slow him down when he approached the paint. Meanwhile, other Nuggets would come to double-team Edwards, even at the cost of leaving his teammates open, either under the hoop or outside the 3-point line.

Never a selfish player, Edwards was always willing to pass to open teammates. Nonetheless, he isn't the quickest of passers. When he didn't have enough time to scan the floor, he made problematic decisions that led to turnovers, specifically five on Friday night. Jokic, Murray and Gordon combined to get eight steals.

The whole team of the Timberwolves shot poorly from the field in Friday's game, missing 40 of their 71 FG attempts. They were below league average in both points per game (18th) and offensive rating (16th) during the regular season. Exploiting the Nuggets' turnovers to launch fast breaks played a big role in their offensive production in Game 1 and Game 2. However, the Timberwolves committed more turnovers than the opponents (14-10) in Game 3.

Game 4 of the series will take place at the Target Center again on Sunday.

Nembhard's big three arouse bad memories for Knicks

The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 111-106 in Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Friday, avoiding trailing 3-0 in the series.

The Pacers' sophomore guard Andrew Nembhard went 1-for-7 from the field in the first 47 minutes of the game for only two points. He was allowed to play over 30 minutes on the court because he had a clear head that enabled him to deliver six assists with two turnovers, but he didn't have the best shooting form to finish attacks on Friday night.

The game was tied at 106-106 when there were 41.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Tyrese Haliburton dribbled to the front court, faced Isaiah Hartenstein in a mismatch and shot a 3-pointer, but the ball hit the back of the iron. Aaron Nesmith tipped the offensive rebound to Nembhard, who then passed it to Haliburton.

Miles McBride and Hartenstein decided to double-team Haliburton outside the 3-point line. Haliburton passed the ball to Nembhard when Jalen Brunson closed out to guard him. Nembhard stepped back and shot a triple, which flew right into the net to give his side a three-point lead when there were 16.1 seconds left.

Many old Knicks fans have bad memories about watching a Pacer, namely Reggie Miller, drain game-winning shots from downtown in the postseason. Nembhard's 3-pointer was not a buzzer-beater but still integral to the team's victory on Friday.

All of Nembhard's five points were assisted by Haliburton in the fourth period. The regular season assists leader delivered only seven assists in the game, but refreshed his playoff scoring record again with 35 points after setting it at 34 in the lost Game 2. He shot 6-for-16 outside the 3-point line and 8-for-10 in the paint. He might not be a scorer at heart, but the Pacers will need him to play like one if they want to extend the Eastern semifinals.

Game 4 of the series will continue to take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.