MINNEAPOLIS — The short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves will be without guard Ayo Dosunmu for a crucial Game 6 on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets because of a right calf issue.
The Timberwolves are up 3-2 in the first-round series but are losing their grip because of a worsening injury list.
In Game 4, they lost Anthony Edwards to a hyperextended knee and Donte DiVincenzo to a torn Achilles, leaving them without their starting backcourt. Dosunmu stepped up in their absence, scoring 25, 43 and 18 points the past three games.
But Dosunmu has dealt with a recurring right calf problem the last several weeks, and it popped up again at the wrong time, leaving him inactive for Thursday’s closeout opportunity. Reserve forward Kyle Anderson was also ruled out with an illness.
For the Nuggets, starting wing Aaron Gordon, who had been listed as questionable because of his own left calf issue that forced him to Games 3 and 5, remained out.
Nuggets coach David Adelman said Gordon would test his calf pregame before a decision on his status for Game 6. He then was ruled out about an hour before the 9:30 p.m. ET tip.
“You can’t think about tomorrow because tomorrow could be nothing,” Adelman said before Gordon was ruled out. “But you also know what’s best for him. He could go out there and play and then be done for the playoffs. It’s really tough.”
Peyton Watson, who has missed the entire series because of a hamstring strain, remained out for Denver.
