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MINNEAPOLIS – The face of the Nuggets’ most impressive win of the season wore orange sherbet and raspberry kicks and a black hat. Jamal Murray stepped onto the Target Center court to thunderous boos and embraced the role of the villain. After throwing a towel Monday, Murray refused to throw in the towel Friday. He embarrassed the organization with his actions and his lack of accountability following Game 2.

MINNEAPOLIS — Aaron Gordon made the Timberwolves respect him, Jamal Murray made them fear him, and the Nuggets made them realize mowing through the Western Conference isn’t meant to be easy. The Nuggets have made this a series, for now at least. They still must win Sunday at Target Center to avoid facing three consecutive elimination games, but a clinical 117-90 victory Friday over the Timberwolves closed the gap to 2-1 in the second round of the playoffs.

Initial thoughts from the Nuggets’ Game 3 Western Conference Semifinal win over the Timberwolves: Murray the Bad Guy is a Good Thing: Jamal Murray wanted the smoke more than the Marlboro Man. Booed relentlessly each time he touched the ball, Murray met the moment, embracing the villain role. After serving as a ghost in the first halves of the first two games, Murray erupted for 18 points in the first 24 minutes.

Rangers right-hander Jon Gray and Rockies lefty Austin Gomber engaged in a sensational pitching dual Friday night at Coors Field. But 37-year-old Charlie Blackmon stole the show. The veteran ripped a two-out, two-run double off of right-hander Yerry Rodríguez in the eighth inning to lift the Rockies to a 4-2 victory and give them their first winning streak of the season. By winning two in a row — the Rockies beat the Giants on Thursday — the Rockies snapped a streak of 51 games without consecutive wins (37 games in 2024), the longest stretch in franchise history. Leave it to Blackmon, a franchise icon, to be the difference-maker. “I’m not a big, rah-rah, super-emotion guy, but I do like to come through in big spots and big team situations,” said Blackmon, who had tied the game in the seventh by sprinting from first to home on a shallow popup to center that turned into an error.

A 31-year-old Aurora man was arrested after an 11-year-old girl told police he kidnapped and sexually assaulted her while she was on her way to the bus stop, according to the Aurora Police Department. Shukurani Mulenda was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child and second-degree kidnapping Friday. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Woman drugged, assaulted by Jay Bianchi at Denver’s So Many Roads Brewery in April, affidavit says Crime and Public Safety | Jeffco Public Schools substitute teacher arrested on child sex assault, abuse charges Crime and Public Safety | Longtime jam-band bar owner Jay Bianchi could have more sexual assault victims, police say Crime and Public Safety | Colorado treasurer’s spokeswoman, whose accusation against lawmaker was deemed not credible, resigns Crime and Public Safety | So Many Roads Brewery closes — for real this time — in wake of co-founder’s arrest on suspicion of sexual assault An 11-year-old girl called 911 after escaping from his apartment and finding someone to help her, Aurora police said in a post on the social media site X. The girl was on her way to the bus stop near East Colfax Avenue and Moline Street early Friday morning when she was kidnapped by Mulenda, whom she did not know, Aurora police said Friday night. Mulenda is a registered sex offender who was charged with sex assault on a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and third-degree assault in Adams County in 2019. Mulenda pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor and third-degree assault as part of a 2022 plea agreement.

By JOCELYN NOVECK (AP National Writer) NEW YORK (AP) — Rudy Giuliani was suspended Friday from WABC Radio and his daily show canceled over what the station called his repeated violation of a ban on discussing discredited 2020 election claims. Giuliani said the station’s ban is overly broad and “a clear violation of free speech.” Giuliani issued a statement saying he had heard of WABC Radio owner John Catsimatidis’ decision through “a leak” to The New York Times.