There will be a new NBA champion crowned this year after defending champions the Denver Nuggets were eliminated from the competition following their 98-90 game 7 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a game of two halves as the Nuggets took out the first two quarters 24-19 and 29-19 before the Wolves came back and claimed the 3rd and 4th quarters 28-14 and 32-23 respectively.
This will be the sixth champion to be crowned in six years as no team has won consecutive titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2018, and the fates of recent champions have been dire.
In the last five postseasons, no reigning champ has even made it past the second round.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone says they knew it was hard and it was something he talked to his team about in training camp.
Malone says with the rules being what they are now, he believes it is going to become even harder and harder to repeat as champions.
In other conference semifinals yesterday, the Indiana Pacers have beaten the New York Knicks 130-109 in game 7 to claim a 4-3 win.
