Timberwolves eliminate Nuggets in Game 6, open West semifinals vs Spurs Monday

The West bracket moved fast Thursday night. Minnesota finished off Denver, 110-98, and turned a first-round upset into a second-round date with San Antonio. That matters because the Wolves just took out the No. 3 seed while shorthanded, and now they run straight into a Spurs team that has been resting since Tuesday. Game 1 is set for Monday, May 4, at Frost Bank Center. (nba.com) ### How did Minnesota close out Denver? Minnesota won the series 4-2 and did it with the same formula that kept dragging Denver into ugly games — defense, size, and just enough shotmaking from the supporting cast. The clincher was 110-98 at Target Center, and it was the third game in Minnesota in this series where Denver failed to reach 100 points after averaging 122.1 in the regular season. (nba.com) ### Who carried the Wolves? Jaden McDaniels was the headline guy in Game 6. He scored a game-high 32 and also took the Jamal Murray assignment, which is basically two jobs at once in a playoff closeout. That mattered even more because Minnesota was already missing Anthony Edwards, and KENS 5 noted two other top-six scorers were also out when the Wolves finished the series. (nba.com) ### Why is this upset a big deal? Seeding tells the simple version — No. 6 over No. 3. But the real weight is who got bounced. Denver came in as a legit contender, and Minnesota didn’t just steal one game or survive a Game 7 coin flip. The Wolves won four of six and repeatedly forced one of the league’s best offenses into uncomfortable, low-scoring nights. (nba.com) ### So what’s next exactly? The next series opens Monday, May 4, in San Antonio. ESPN’s postseason schedule and the Spurs’ local coverage both list the Spurs at home for Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, with Minnesota hosting Games 3, 4, and 6 if needed. Tip times were still not set early Friday. (espn.com)a is the No. 6 seed. The Spurs handled Portland in five games and wrapped that series on Tuesday, so they not only earned home court but also got extra recovery time while Denver extended Minnesota to a Thursday Game 6. That’s a real edge at this point in the playoffs. (nba.com) interesting? It’s not just Wembanyama versus whoever Minnesota throws at him. It’s also a contrast in how these teams arrive here. San Antonio got through round one cleanly and early. Minnesota got through it bruised and short-handed, but with the kind of confidence teams get when they beat a stronger seed anyway. KENS 5 also notes Minnesota went 2-1(nba.com)yama missed one of those games. (kens5.com) ### Has this matchup happened recently? Not in the playoffs. San Antonio’s local coverage says this will be the first Spurs-Timberwolves playoff meeting since 2001. For the Spurs, it also marks the franchise’s first trip to the second round since 2017, which is why the atmosphere in San Antonio is going to feel bigger than a normal conference semifinal opener. (kens5.com) ### Bottom line Minnesota’s Denver win was the kind that changes the shape of a bracket. Now the question is whether the Wolves’ depth-and-defense formula can survive another round, or whether a rested San Antonio team turns this into a very different kind of series. (nba.com)