Minnesota Timberwolves

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Lore & Background

The franchise began in 1989 under original owners Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson. After seven consecutive playoff appearances without a series victory, the team made significant trades for Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell alongside All-Star Kevin Garnett. This move propelled them to the number one seed in the Western Conference in 2003. In their first playoff meeting with Denver that year, the top-seeded Timberwolves defeated the eighth-seeded Nuggets 4-1, securing their first-ever playoff series win. Decades later, the rivalry deepened as both teams swapped key personnel; Chris Finch moved from a Nuggets assistant role to head coach in Minnesota, while Tim Connelly transitioned from leading Denver's front office to becoming the Timberwolves' president. This exchange of leadership and talent set the stage for intense battles throughout the 2020s.

In Their Own Story

The rivalry saw dramatic swings starting with a decisive play-in showdown on April 11, 2018. With both teams holding identical 46-35 records, Minnesota held a 10-point lead before Jeff Teague's three-pointer extended it to 99-91. Denver rallied with a 10-2 run to force overtime, but the Timberwolves shut out their opponents in the extra period to win 112-106, ending a thirteen-year postseason drought while eliminating the Nuggets. Years later, the stakes escalated during the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals. After trading wins and games, Minnesota faced a 20-point deficit in Game 7. They mounted an incredible comeback, outscoring Denver 28-9 in the third quarter to take the lead. The Timberwolves held on for a 98-90 victory, marking the largest Game 7 comeback in history and eliminating the defending champions. Nikola Jokic later noted of Minnesota, "I think they're built to beat us." The tension continued into 2026, where a physical altercation erupted after Jaden McDaniels scored during "garbage time," resulting in ejections for Jokic and Julius Randle.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking the Timberwolves' journey, key turning points define their modern era. In 2022, despite acquiring Rudy Gobert, Minnesota struggled offensively, scoring only 113.3 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the league). Conversely, the Nuggets dominated that season with a franchise-best 53-29 record. The teams met again in the 2024 playoffs where Minnesota defeated Phoenix to advance, eventually facing Denver. In the 2023 series against the Nuggets, Minnesota won Game 4 in overtime but lost the series 1-4. By 2026, the Timberwolves secured a historic first-ever franchise sweep of a playoff series against Phoenix before eliminating Denver in the First Round. A notable regular-season clash occurred on Christmas Day 2025, where Nikola Jokic scored an NBA-record 18 points in overtime to lead Denver to a 142-138 victory after Minnesota erased a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Did You Know?

• The Timberwolves ended a thirteen-year postseason drought on April 11, 2018, by defeating the Nuggets in an overtime play-in game.
• In Game 7 of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals, Minnesota executed the largest comeback (20 points) in Game 7 history to eliminate the defending champion Nuggets.
• Nikola Jokic scored an NBA-record 18 points in a single overtime period during a Christmas Day 2025 victory over Minnesota.
• Tim Connelly and Chris Finch both previously held leadership roles with the Denver Nuggets before moving to the Timberwolves organization.