Soon, the Denver Nuggets will host Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves for Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
After the Nuggets finished the regular season by locking up the Western Conference’s third seed, many fans suggested that the Nuggets got a matchup they wouldn’t desire.
However, both sides are embracing the moment. Following a practice session on Wednesday, Minnesota’s star guard Edwards was asked whether Denver-Minnesota is an NBA rivalry.
While the term is often used these days loosely to add a little hype when it’s lacking, this series isn’t one of them.
Anthony Edwards Gets Honest On Timberwolves-Nuggets Rivalry
“Yeah, for sure. I don’t think there’s anything else to call it but a rivalry,” Edwards told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. “I think there’s a lot of rivalries in the league now. And me and Denver is one of them.”
The Nuggets and the Timberwolves met in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2004 in 2023. The series needed just five games, as the Nuggets cleaned up with a 4-1 victory.
In the following year, the Nuggets and the Timberwolves met again in the second round. That series needed every matchup to settle the score. After the Timberwolves garnered an early 2-0 lead, the Nuggets fired back with two wins of their own.
The Nuggets went up 3-2 and had a chance to put the Timberwolves away. Instead, Minnesota managed to close out Denver with a 4-3 victory.
The Timberwolves-Nuggets Rivalry Since Their Last Playoff Battle
In 2025, the Timberwolves and the Nuggets didn’t clash in the postseason.
However, during the regular season, Edwards’ Timberwolves dominated with a clean sweep. That round of games last year led many to believe the Nuggets might want to find an alternative route in the NBA Playoffs.
But Denver has proven the Timberwolves might not be the dominant team in the rivalry this time around. Throughout the 2025-2026 season, the Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves three out of four games.
The rivalry continues on Saturday, April 18, with a 3:30 PM ET tip in Denver, Colorado.