Troy Renck: It was difficult to reconcile what unfolded on Saturday night. The Nuggets lost a home playoff game and the first game of a series — something that never happened during their title run a year ago. They continue to trail early while counting on sprinkling pixie dust late. The problem is the man with the magic wand has an achy left calf. Jamal Murray is not himself. His lack of practice leading up to this series showed. He needed WD-40 for his rust, and unlike the Lakers, the Timberwolves are not soft. Murray went scoreless in the first half and finished with 17 points.
Renck vs. Keeler: Can Nuggets win Timberwolves series without Jamal Murray in “Playoff Jamal” mode?
