The Nuggets are seeking their 2nd straight title, while the Wolves just won their 1st playoff series in 20 years.
This could be the toughest matchup for the Nuggets since they began their championship run last spring. Their longest playoff series to date is six games. The Timberwolves are qualified to last at least that long, maybe the seven-game limit, and make each one suspenseful.
These teams battled all season for the top seed, with the Nuggets delivering the knockout blow to Minnesota’s chances in the penultimate game. In the end, both lost out to Oklahoma City for that honor, but only one win separated Denver and Minnesota in the regular-season standings… which could be a precursor to this series.
While the Nuggets are the defending champs, the Wolves are feeling frisky and believe it’s their time. They’ve been at or near the top of the West all season. They swept through the first round. They’re no fluke.
Series schedule
Here’s how to watch the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves series:
All times Eastern Standard Time
- Game 1: Wolves vs. Nuggets, Saturday, May 4 (7 p.m., TNT)
- Game 2: Wolves vs. Nuggets, Monday, May 6 (10 p.m., TNT)
- Game 3: Nuggets vs. Wolves, Friday, May 10 (9:30 p.m., ESPN)
- Game 4: Nuggets vs. Wolves, Sunday, May 12 (8 p.m., TNT)
- Game 5: Wolves vs. Nuggets, Tuesday, May 14 (TBD, TNT) *
- Game 6: Nuggets vs. Wolves, Thursday, May 16 (8:30 p.m., ESPN) *
- Game 7: Wolves vs. Nuggets, Sunday, May 19 (TBD, TBD) *
* = If necessary
Top storyline
This very well could come down to one question: How well, and for how long, can the Wolves’ defense cope with the beautiful offensive game played by the Nuggets?
Everywhere you look, the Wolves seemingly have an answer for all the important matchups. There’s Rudy Gobert, a rim and paint protector, for Nikola Jokic. And Mike Conley, the clever veteran, for Jamal Murray. And Jaden McDaniels, long and athletic, for Michael Porter Jr.
Add Kia Sixth Man of the Year winner Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and the Wolves are well-equipped to make the Nuggets work on almost every possession. That’s why the Wolves made it this far, by forcing teams to take tough shots and bleed the shot clock.
Of course, the wonder of the Nuggets is how they’ve had the same core for five years and work like clockwork. Their chemistry, therefore, is unmatched in the NBA. So maybe the Wolves’ D might be at a disadvantage.
Keep your eyes on
Gobert vs. Jokic: A two-time Kia NBA MVP and one of the most complete offensive centers of all time against a three-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year. Both will likely win those respective awards again this season. Those are your centers of attention for this series.
Jokic gets up for Gobert, though. The Joker went for 41-11-7 in their April 10 meeting, dominating not only Gobert but Reid, the backup. It was one-sided. For the season, Joker averaged 33 points and nearly 12 rebounds against Gobert.
“Nikola always embraces the physicality,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “He never shies away from it. Rudy Gobert is going to be a Hall of Fame player one day. Rudy Gobert is going to be regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation. And it just speaks to how great Nikola is. I don’t think anybody in the NBA can guard Nikola one-on-one.”
1 more thing to watch for each team
For Nuggets: Porter managed to shake free of personal issues to shine in the first round. (One brother was recently sentenced to jail for his role in a fatal car accident, and another was permanently banned from the NBA for gambling.)
He averaged 22.8 points and shot 48.8% from deep against the Lakers in what was arguably his finest playoff series to date. If Porter keeps this up, Denver will be tough to beat.
For Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, only 22, is staking his claim as the best player in these playoffs. He was a wrecking ball against the Suns in the first round (31-8-6 on 51.2% shooting), especially the second half of the closeout game when he couldn’t be stopped.
One reason for Edwards’ determination? He was doing it against Kevin Durant, an all-time great and his childhood idol. Jokic is also an all-time great. So expect Edwards to make a similar statement as he announces himself as a future all-time great in his own right.
1 key number to know
9.5 — The Wolves scored 123.2 points per 100 possessions in their sweep of the Suns. That was the best mark in the first round and 9.5 points per 100 possessions more than Phoenix allowed in the regular season, with that being the biggest such differential. So the Wolves, who had the best defense by a wide margin in the regular season, have had the best offense in the playoffs, whether you look at raw or relative numbers.
The Wolves’ effective field goal percentage (54.8%) was a little lower than it was in the regular season (55.0%). But they ranked second in the first round in free throw rate (33.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and retained 39.2% of available offensive rebounds, the second-highest offensive rebounding percentage for any team in any series in the past 10 years. With big differentials in rebounds and turnovers, the Wolves averaged an incredible 10 more shooting opportunities per game than the Suns.
The Wolves got to the line a lot (33.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field) in the regular season series between these two teams, but the Nuggets won the battle of the boards. They obtained 77.5% of available defensive rebounds, the best mark for any Western Conference opponent against Minnesota. If the Wolves don’t shoot well, those two factors could determine if their offense can keep up with that of the champs.
— John Schuhmann
The pick
Nuggets in seven. This series should be rich in contrast and drama. Both teams are equipped to move on, and after their sweep of the Suns, the Wolves stamped themselves as a title contender.
Will home court be the edge for Denver? More likely, the moments of truth in each game will show us which star — Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns or Jokic or Murray — will make the big shot.
Let’s go with the champs, barely, in such situations.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.
