From the first tip, there was something strange about this Denver–Minnesota series that wasn’t typical of the postseason. Looking back at the tape, it seems like the Nuggets never really found their identity. The MVP was with them.
The experience was theirs. Theoretically, they had the route. Nevertheless, it didn’t truly feel like an upset by the time Game 6’s final horn blew, with Minnesota leading 110-98. It was like a slow unraveling that no one wanted to mention aloud.
| Series Snapshot | Details |
|---|---|
| Series Winner | Minnesota Timberwolves (4–2) |
| Defeated Team | Denver Nuggets |
| Decisive Game Score | Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98 |
| Standout Performer | Jaden McDaniels — career-high 32 points in Game 6 |
| Surprise Hero (Game 4) | Ayo Dosunmu — 43 points, 13-of-17 shooting off the bench |
| Nikola Jokić Final Line | 28 points, 10 assists, ejected earlier in Game 4 |
| Key Injuries | Anthony Edwards (out weeks), Donte DiVincenzo (suspected torn Achilles) |
| Next Opponent | San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference Semifinals |
| Coverage / Stats | Box scores and recaps |
On any other night, Jokić’s 28 points and 10 assists at the end of the closeout game would have carried a team. But in situations like these, box scores are rarely the focus of basketball. It’s about the little things, the way a team’s bench responds when a call doesn’t go their way, and the body language between possessions. Additionally, Denver appeared to be a team that was running out of solutions. The third-quarter shove with Jaylen Clark, which resulted in technicals for Naz Reid and Jokić, wasn’t merely a flare-up. It was reminiscent of his dismissal in Game 4, when he started a fight late and left looking, for the first time in years, truly shaken. “I had to improve as a player. “I have to play better,” he remarked later. It’s difficult not to interpret that as a man who is overburdened.
Ayo Dosunmu was another. Ayo Dosunmu was not on the bingo card. In Game 4, Dosunmu scored 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting after coming off the bench with Donte DiVincenzo crumpled in what now appears to be a torn Achilles and Anthony Edwards already out for the evening. From the line, twelve for twelve. Five out of five out of three.
the type of stat line that is framed. That evening, Minnesota was expected to lose. Rather, they advanced the series to 3-1, and a disorganized roster appeared to be the more formidable team. A No. 2 seed losing the series to its opponent’s third- and fourth-string players has an almost poetic quality.
Jaden McDaniels, who has been characterized for years as an offensive afterthought and a defender first, scored a career-high 32 points in the closeout. That’s a team coming into focus, not an anomaly. When Edwards is on the bench in street clothes and DiVincenzo might miss the entire upcoming season, Chris Finch has created something in Minnesota that doesn’t rely on any one star stealing the show.
Beyond this matchup, there are deeper ramifications. Supported by an aging supporting cast and Jokić’s prime, Denver’s championship window appears to be getting smaller. Without Luka or Reaves, the Lakers managed to take a 3-0 lead over Houston. Despite Victor Wembanyama’s painful fall, the Spurs overcame all reasonable predictions to return to their series against Portland. As of this week, anyone can attend the conference that everyone thought would take place in Denver or Oklahoma City.
The picture is delightfully complicated by the fact that Edwards is anticipated to return for the semifinals opener against San Antonio. While playing wounded, Minnesota broke the Nuggets. They may be getting healthier now. The Spurs, on the other hand, are now a real threat and are no longer the cute story. The ownership of this Western Conference is still up for debate. However, the road no longer passes through Denver for the first time in a long time. It will take some time to process that, more than any final score.
