Minnesota eliminates Denver in Game 6

The Timberwolves just pulled off the kind of playoff win that usually sounds fake when you say it out loud. They beat Denver 110-98 on Thursday night, won the series 4-2, and did it without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kyle Anderson. That’s not just one star out. That’s basically the whole guard rotation torn out before an elimination game. Minnesota still controlled the game anyway — with size, defense, and a level of spite that was obvious from the opening minutes. (espn.com) ### How did Minnesota win shorthanded? They went big and made the game ugly for Denver. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid helped Minnesota hammer the Nuggets inside, where the Wolves finished with a 64-40 edge in points in the paint and a 50-33 rebounding advantage. Instead of trying to replace missing sho(espn.com)ch Denver never really solved. (espn.com) ### Who actually carried the offense? Jaden McDaniels was the headliner. He put up 32 points and 10 rebounds, and he wasn’t just scoring in cleanup duty — he was the tone-setter all night. Terrence Shannon Jr., thrown into a surprise start, added 24 and gave Minnesota downhill speed Denver struggled to contain. T(espn.com)o start the closing free throws. (espn.com) ### What went wrong for Denver? The short version is that Nikola Jokić had to do too much, and Jamal Murray never got loose. Jokić finished with 28 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds — a near triple-double that still felt strangely muted because Minnesota kept warping the game around him. Murray had just 12 po(espn.com)ints again in Minneapolis, which says a lot against a team that averaged 122.1 in the regular season. (espn.com) ### Why did this series feel personal? Because it was. Minnesota clearly believed Denver had angled into this matchup by finishing third, and Finch said his players “took it personal.” McDaniels leaned all the way into the villain role during the series, and Game 6 felt like the payoff. The Wolves played like a t(espn.com)hat kind of edge matters in a playoff series, especially when talent is missing and emotion has to fill the gaps. (nba.com) ### Is this a fluke or a pattern? At this point, it’s a pattern. Minnesota has now eliminated Denver twice in three seasons. Since Denver’s 2023 title run, the Nuggets haven’t consistently found enough around Jokić to look like the same machine in the biggest moments. The Wolves, meanwhile, keep showing that their defense travels, (nba.com)eup gets weird. That’s not luck. That’s team structure. (espn.com) ### What happens next? Minnesota moves on to face San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals. The series is set to open Monday, May 4, in San Antonio, with Game 2 on May 6 before the matchup shifts to Minneapolis for Games 3 and 4 on May 8 and May 10. So the reward for surviving Denver is immediate — there’s barely any time to celebrate. (nba.com) ### Why does this matter beyond one upset? Because this was the kind of win that changes how a team is seen. Not just “dangerous if healthy,” but dangerous full stop. Minnesota didn’t survive by getting hot from 3 or catching Denver on a weird night. The Wolves imposed a style, won the physical battle, and knocked out a team with Nikola Jokić on the floor. That tra(nba.com)idn’t just eliminate Denver. The Wolves made the Nuggets play Minnesota’s game — bruising, crowded, emotional — and Denver had no answer. That’s why this feels bigger than one Game 6.