POSTGAME NOTES
DENVER NUGGETS 123, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 116
January 5, 2021
TIMBERWOLVES NOTES
Player Notes
• D’Angelo Russell led the Timberwolves tonight, scoring 33 points, shooting 10-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-9 from three and a near perfect 9-of-10 from the line. He dished out a season-high 11 assists and two steals. This 33-point performance marks his 32nd career 30+ point game and his first with the Timberwolves.
• Tonight marked Russell’s third career 30+ point/10+ assist game and he becomes the ninth player in Timberwolves history to accomplish the feat and the first since Ricky Rubio on Mar. 30, 2017 vs. L.A. Lakers.
• In his second start this season, Juancho Hernangómez recorded a season-high 25 points, the sixth 20+ point game of his career, first with the Timberwolves. He added eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. In a season-high 34:21 minutes he connected on a career-high 10-of-14 from the field, including going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, becoming the 28th player in Timberwolves history to score 25+ points while connecting on 10+ field goals and 5+ three-pointers in a game.
• Of his 25 points, Hernangómez scored 20 of them came in the first half making him the first Timberwolves player to score 20+ points in the first half this season. During the 2019-20 season, four Timberwolves players notched 20+ points in the first half: Malik Beasley (20 – Feb. 8 vs. LA Clippers), Karl-Anthony Towns (5x, MR: 24 – Jan. 25 vs Oklahoma City), Jeff Teague (22 – Dec. 11 vs. Utah) and Andrew Wiggins (20 – Nov. 13 vs San Antonio).
• In 25:34 minutes off the bench, Anthony Edwards finished with 15 points, three rebounds and one assist. With his 15 points tonight, he now has five 15+ point outings through his first seven games becoming the first Timberwolves rookie to have five 15+ point games through his first seven games (Christian Laettner – 4 and Karl-Anthony Towns – 4).
• At the final buzzer, Malik Beasley recorded 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. This season, Beasley is averaging 18.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg and is shooting 45.7% through the first seven games.
• Jarred Vanderbilt played a career-high 23:07 minutes, connecting on 4-of-5 from the field for a career-high 11 points. He also grabbed five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.
Team Notes
• Minnesota connected on 11 three pointers tonight, marking the fourth-straight game and sixth game this season they have connected on 10+ threes. The franchise record for consecutive games with 10+ treys is 16 (Dec. 30, 2019-Jan. 27, 2020).
• At halftime, the Timberwolves took a 65-62 lead with the help of a 43-point second quarter. Tonight marks the 21st 40+ point second quarter in franchise history, 68th overall 40+ point quarter. The 43 points is also the third highest point total the Timberwolves scored in a second quarter in team history.
Nuggets Notes
• Nikola Jokić recorded his seventh-straight double-double with a game-high 35 points and 15 rebounds. His 35 points mark a season high and his 31st career 30+ point game.
(info courtesy of Timberwolves)