DENVER (AP) — A heated rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets has produced three playoff matchups over the past four seasons, with both teams trading dramatic victories.
Denver eliminated Minnesota 4-1 during their 2023 championship run, but the Timberwolves got revenge the following year with a stunning 20-point comeback victory in Game 7 at Denver.
The current series began with Denver riding a 12-game winning streak into the playoffs and dominating the opening game. However, the Nuggets surrendered a 19-point advantage in Game 2 and then suffered consecutive blowout losses in Minneapolis.
Despite losing key players Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) and Anthony Edwards (knee) to injuries Saturday, Minnesota crushed Denver 112-96. Reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu delivered a spectacular 43-point performance, marking the highest scoring output by a bench player in a playoff game in 50 years.
Monday’s Game 5 returns to Denver, where another poor showing could eliminate the Nuggets in a shocking early upset. The loss would trigger an offseason of major changes following an injury-plagued first complete season under head coach David Adelman, who has struggled to find solutions for his team’s sudden collapse.
The Minnesota-Denver showdown caps a three-game Monday schedule that could also witness the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder complete their third straight first-round sweep. Oklahoma City holds a 3-0 advantage over Phoenix heading into Game 4 at the Suns’ home arena.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the current MVP, dominated Game 3 with 42 points while shooting an exceptional 15-for-18 from the field.
“He doesn’t need a ton of direction from me,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “But I thought he was obviously outstanding. The efficiency was ridiculous. For him to score like that, on 15 of 18, is a really impressive game.”
The evening begins with Game 4 in Orlando, where the eighth-seeded Magic will attempt to build a 3-1 series lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal battle.
“Being up 2-1 at home is a good thing, but again, you got to come out and do it again,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said after Saturday’s Game 3 win. “And that’s why I’ll keep saying it’s the one game. … We’ve got to learn from this game and what we could do better.”
Denver’s only display of fight since their series-opening victory occurred when Nikola Jokic became upset over Jaden McDaniels scoring an easy basket with 2.1 seconds remaining after the Nuggets had already given up on their double-digit loss Saturday.
Jokic sprinted across the entire court to push McDaniels, who had criticized all Nuggets players as poor defenders following Game 2. Players from both squads rushed in to escalate the confrontation. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, who was furious with Jokic, received an ejection alongside Denver’s star center.
“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic explained. “You guys saw what happened.”
Historical data suggests Denver faces an uphill battle to advance. Throughout NBA history, just 13 of 298 teams trailing 3-1 in a series have managed to complete the comeback. Ironically, the most recent team to accomplish this feat was Denver in 2020, when they overcame 3-1 deficits against both Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers.
DiVincenzo’s campaign has ended due to his Achilles injury, while Edwards faces an extended recovery from a bone bruise and hyperextended knee. Denver led the league in scoring this season and was held below 100 points only twice in January, yet managed just 96 points in both Minneapolis defeats.
Orlando earned Saturday’s victory behind 25-point efforts from both Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane. This marks the 13th occasion since the NBA adopted its current 16-team playoff format in 1984 that an eighth seed has taken a 2-1 lead over a top seed. Five of the previous 12 teams in this position completed the upset: Miami (2023), Philadelphia (2012), Memphis (2011), Golden State (2007), and New York (1999).
Phoenix star Devin Booker should be available for Game 4 as the Suns attempt to avoid elimination after briefly leaving Game 3 with a left ankle injury sustained when he tripped over Lu Dort’s foot. The five-time All-Star returned minutes later and reported feeling fine. Booker suggested Dort may have intentionally extended his foot during the play, though he wasn’t certain.
