LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Anthony Edwards scored a playoff career-high 43 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated defending champion Denver in the final minutes for a 106-99 victory in Saturday’s National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff series opener.

Edwards made 17-of-29 shots from the floor, 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and all six free throws for his third career 40-point playoff game.

“My teammates trust me in every position in critical moments in the game. I try to come through for them,” Edwards said after Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second round series, which continues on Monday in Denver.

“It’s tough here,” Edwards said. “The altitude, their team, the crowd. I’m proud of my teammates. They came out and fought super-hard.”

None delivered more in the clutch than NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who scored the first 10 Minnesota points in an 18-7 run to break an 84-84 deadlock. Reid scored 14 of his 16 points in the last quarter.

Anthony and his teammates kept the Nuggets at bay to the finish, with “Ant-Man” crediting his time with the 2023 US Basketball World Cup team with improving him this season.

“I put in work this summer,” said Edwards. “Shout out to USA team. They got me ready for this season. I appreciate that.”

Karl-Anthony Towns, whose foul trouble late led to Reid entering the game, scored 20 points while Mike Conley added 14 points, all in the second half, plus 10 assists and Rudy Gobert grabbed 13 rebounds.

“He has done a good job of finding us late in games and giving us confidence,” Conley said of Edwards.