Minnesota at Denver

Denver has lost three straight, scoring 96 points in each of the last two games, shooting 34% and 38%. They're going to have to focus on defense to keep their season alive, down 3-1 in the series. During the regular season, the defense was 13th in shooting allowed and third in defending beyond the arc. The Nuggets are 29-14 at home and have won their last three at home as a double-digit favorite by 17, 13, and 23 points. Minnesota's defense was 12th in points allowed, seventh in shooting allowed, and 13th in 3-point defense, on an 18-9 run UNDER the total. They've held Denver to an average of 105.5 points in the four games, 16.5 points below its season average. Minnesota doesn't need to win and is dealing with injuries from Game 4, losing leading scorer Anthony Edwards (28.8 ppg, left knee), plus Donte DiVincenzo (12.2 ppg) for the rest of the playoffs. The wagering value is on the home team to stay alive with a huge effort against the banged-up visitors, along with a defensive first half. Take Denver + First Half UNDER the total.