Timberwolves Face Nuggets in Denver for Playoff Series Saturday

For the third time in four years, the Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA playoffs. This matchup features rising star Anthony Edwards and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Their series kicks off on Saturday, April 18, in Denver.

NBA Playoff Series Overview

The Denver Nuggets secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference by defeating the San Antonio Spurs. This win allowed them to finish just ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, who claimed the No. 4 seed. The Nuggets completed the season with a record of 54 wins and 28 losses. The Timberwolves, locked into the No. 6 seed, wrapped up their regular season with a record of 49-33.

Western Conference Matchups

• No. 1 Oklahoma City (64-18) vs. No. 8 TBD
• No. 2 San Antonio (62-20) vs. No. 7 TBD
• No. 3 Denver (54-28) vs. No. 6 Minnesota (49-33)
• No. 4 LA Lakers (53-29) vs. No. 5 Houston (52-30)

Play-In Tournament Details

The play-in tournament will feature No. 7 Phoenix hosting No. 8 Portland. Additionally, the No. 9 LA Clippers will face the No. 10 Warriors. The winner of the 7-8 game will earn the 7th seed. The losing team will then compete against the winner of the 9-10 game for the final playoff spot.

Previous Encounters

In the 2023 postseason, the Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves in five games en route to capturing the NBA title. That series saw Minnesota missing key players Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid due to injuries.

The following year, in the second round, the Timberwolves initially led the series 2-0. However, they faced elimination after three consecutive losses. In a remarkable comeback, Minnesota won Game 6 by 45 points and rallied from a 20-point deficit to claim victory in Game 7 in Denver, advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

In 2025, the Nuggets were eliminated in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who later defeated the Timberwolves in the conference finals.

Upcoming Series Schedule

This year’s playoff series begins at 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Saturday. Fans can watch the action live on Prime Video. The regular season saw the Nuggets finish with a 3-1 record against the Timberwolves, although Minnesota won their most recent encounter on March 1, 2026.

The matchup promises to be exciting as both teams look to advance in the playoffs. Fans are gearing up for what could be another thrilling chapter in this playoff rivalry.