Timberwolves overcome injuries to snag series win…
MINNEAPOLIS — Jaden McDaniels had 32 factors and 10 rebounds and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 factors in a shock start for the injury-ravaged Minnesota Timberwolves in a 110-98 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday evening that completed off another tense NBA playoff series between the rivals.
With their top three guards lacking because of injuries, the Timberwolves went big with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid fueling a 64-40 benefit in factors in the paint and an 50-33 edge in rebounding.
Minnesota, the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, will start the second spherical at San Antonio on Monday. The second-seeded Spurs beat Portland in 5 video games in their first-round series.
Jaden McDaniels, who scored 32 factors, shoots a floater during the Timberwolves’ 110-98 Game 6 series-clinching win over the Nuggets on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis. NBAE via Getty Images
Nikola Jokic had 28 factors, 10 assists and 9 rebounds to lead the Nuggets, but sidekick Jamal Murray struggled to get free from McDaniels and completed with just 12 factors on 4-for-17 capturing.
Cameron Johnson scored 27 factors to lead Denver’s 10-for-27 evening from deep, but Jokic and the 3-pointers merely weren’t enough to keep up with a fiercely motivated Timberwolves crew.
With Ayo Dosunmu becoming a member of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo on the inactive listing, the Timberwolves had been lacking a big chunk of their potential to create photographs.
Winning this recreation was going to require additional doses of protection and vitality, and they introduced both.
Shannon added an aspect of pure velocity that the Nuggets couldn’t stop when he discovered space toward the basket. McDaniels, embracing the villain function, was a monster on both ends of the ground.
The Timberwolves fed off the roaring crowd at every flip and persistently made up for their lacking offense with hustle and want.
Terrence Shannon Jr., who scored 24 factors in a shock start, goes up for a layup as Spencer Jones defends during the Timberwolves’ Game 6 series-clinching win over the Nuggets. AP
Shannon’s three-point play with 1:43 left gave the Timberwolves a six-point lead, and McDaniels adopted with the dagger shot — his signature mid-range pull-up was a swish from 19 ft to make it a seven-point recreation with 1:06 to play. Then he intercepted a harried cross by Jokic to get the ball back and start a parade to the road.
Since beating the Timberwolves in 5 video games in the first spherical and cruising to the NBA championship in the 2023, the Nuggets haven’t discovered the manufacturing or spunk they’ve needed to supplement the three-time MVP Jokic.
They prolonged the series with a decisive win in Game 5 on Monday, but Minnesota’s protection delivered again this postseason in neutralizing Jokic and rendering Murray an afterthought.
McDaniels tirelessly chased him around the perimeter. The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner Gobert saved giving Jokic a arduous time in the paint with his long arms and excellent anticipation.
McDaniels tossed even more spice into this well-developed rivalry early in the series with his blanket “bad defenders” jab at the Nuggets, and none of the Timberwolves have made any secret of distaste for their opponent.
Then their motivation soared off the charts when DiVincenzo went down in the opening minute of Game 4, and their franchise participant Edwards adopted him on the injured listing.
During a stoppage in the fourth quarter, DiVincenzo was shown with a big smile as he sat with his foot propped up in a solid behind the bench.
Stay up to date with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest Sports news and content, fastidiously curated to keep you informed.
