Nuggets–Timberwolves rivalry

The Nuggets–Timberwolves rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Following the relocation of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, Minnesota was without an NBA team until the 1989 season. The NBA granted one of its four new expansion teams to original owners Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson, leading to the establishment of the Timberwolves for the 1989 season. The Timberwolves were placed in the Midwest Division, where they competed alongside the Denver Nuggets. While the two teams had a playoff meeting in 2004, their rivalry did not truly intensify until the 2020s. During this period, the Nuggets and Timberwolves frequently clashed for the divisional title and in the playoffs.

2004: First playoff meeting
In the 2003 season, the Timberwolves were still in search of their first playoff series victory, despite their consistent playoff appearances for seven consecutive seasons. To overcome this obstacle, they made a significant trade for Latrell Sprewell, a 4-time All-Star guard, and Sam Cassell. These two players, along with the All-Star Kevin Garnett, played a crucial role in leading the Timberwolves to secure the number one seed in the Western Conference, marking a historic first for the franchise. On the other hand, the Nuggets were determined to put an end to their eight-year postseason absence. Led by the newly drafted Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets finished with a 43–39 record, securing the eighth seed and marking their return to the playoffs for the first time since the 1995 season. In the first playoff meeting in the rivalry, the top-seeded Timberwolves easily defeated the eight-seed Nuggets 4 games to 1, marking the Timberwolves first playoff series win in franchise history.

2017: Play-in game to end a postseason drought
In the 2017 NBA season, the Timberwolves aimed to end a thirteen-year postseason drought, while the Nuggets were looking to break a four-year playoff drought. On April 9, 2018, both teams had matching records of 46–35, leading to a decisive showdown on April 11. The victor would secure the last playoff spot, while the defeated team would be eliminated from contention.

In the first final-day play-in game in the NBA in 21 years, the Timberwolves held a lead of 10 points in the second quarter. With 4:26 remaining in regulation, PG Jeff Teague's 3-pointer extended their lead to 99–91. However, the Nuggets mounted a comeback, going on a 10–2 run to tie the game at 101-101 and force overtime. In the extra period, the Nuggets took a 106–105 lead, but then the Timberwolves shut out the Nuggets to secure a 112–106 victory. This win ended their thirteen-year postseason drought, eliminated the Nuggets, and marked their return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2003 season.

2020s: Rivalry intensifies
In the 2020 season, the Timberwolves decided to dismiss HC Ryan Saunders and appointed assistant HC Chris Finch as their new head coach. Before this role, Finch served as an associate HC for the Nuggets during the 2016–2017 season. In the 2022 season, the Timberwolves secured Tim Connelly as their president, signing him to a lucrative 5-year, $40 million contract. Connelly assumed the same position he held with the Nuggets. To fill the void left by Connelly in the front office, the Nuggets promoted Calvin Booth, who had been recruited from the Timberwolves in 2017.

Despite acquiring Rudy Gobert in the offseason and aiming for a championship, the Timberwolves faced significant struggles in the 2022 NBA season. Although their defense performed adequately, ranking 10th out of 30 teams in Def Rtg, their offense struggled to generate points, scoring only 113.3 points per 100 possessions, placing them 23rd among all teams. Consequently, they faced difficulties in consistently winning games. This resulted in many sports analysts and fans labeling them as one of the most disappointing teams of that season. On the other hand, the Nuggets excelled throughout the season, clinching the best record in the Western Conference at 53-29 for the first time in franchise history. The Timberwolves managed to secure a 42–40 record, earning a spot in the play-in tournament. After losing to the Los Angeles Lakers but defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, they made it to the playoffs as the 8th seed, setting up a playoff series against the top-seeded Nuggets. The Timberwolves managed to prevent a sweep in the 2023 playoffs by winning game 4 during overtime. However, the Nuggets maintained their dominance throughout the series, ultimately winning 4 out of the 5 games. The Nuggets went on to win in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, clinching their first NBA Finals championship in franchise history after 47 seasons in the NBA.

The Nuggets began the 2023 season as the defending champions, while the Timberwolves rebounded from a disappointing previous season and emerged as stronger contenders. Throughout the season, these two teams, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, battled for the Northwest divisional title. In the final game of the season, all three teams had identical 56-25 records and were in contention for the Northwest division title. The Thunder and Nuggets emerged victorious in their games, while the Timberwolves suffered a defeat. As a result of tiebreakers, the Thunder claimed the division title, with the Nuggets and Timberwolves securing the 2nd and 3rd seeds, respectively. In the 2024 playoffs, the Timberwolves achieved their first-ever franchise sweep, and their first playoff series win in 20 years by defeating the Phoenix Suns, while the Nuggets emerged victorious over the Los Angeles Lakers. This paved the way for an exciting playoff series between the two teams in the Semifinals.

2024 Western Conference Semifinals
The Timberwolves were off to a strong start in Denver, securing victories in the first two games with a defensive display and Anthony Edwards consistently scoring over 20 points in each match. However, the Nuggets swiftly retaliated by claiming victory in the subsequent two games held in Minneapolis. As the series returned to Denver for the fifth game, Nikola Jokić's remarkable 40-point performance propelled the Nuggets to victory, granting them a three-game winning streak and the lead in the series. In game six in Minneapolis, the Timberwolves delivered a dominant performance against the defending champions, ultimately emerging victorious with a resounding 115–70 scoreline. The Nuggets suffered their third-largest defeat in history, matching a 45-point margin. The series was deadlocked at 3-3, leading to a decisive game 7 in Denver. During the seventh game, the Timberwolves were behind by 20 points in the 3rd quarter, with a score of 58–38. Despite the deficit, they managed to go on a 28–9 run, reducing the gap to 67–66 by the end of the quarter. The Timberwolves seized and maintained the lead, ultimately triumphing 98–90. For the Timberwolves, this victory marked the largest comeback (20 points) in game 7 history, eliminated the reigning champions Nuggets, and advanced them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2003 season. When asked on if he feels there is a budding rivalry between themselves and Minnesota. Jokic responded "I think they're built to beat us."