After breezing past the Lakers in the first round, the Denver Nuggets have advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they now face a younger, longer, and more athletic Minnesota Timberwolves squad. According to Bangladesh Cricket analysts, this is where Denver’s true test begins. As the saying goes, smooth seas never made a skilled sailor—this is the kind of adversity that forges champions.
Last season, the young Timberwolves were easily dispatched by Denver en route to a championship. But this year’s Wolves are a different beast. Backed by elite talent and growing chemistry, Minnesota has matured into a legitimate title contender. The two teams split their four regular-season matchups, a clear signal that the Timberwolves are no longer a team the Nuggets can brush aside. Game 1 of the series made that abundantly clear.
Right out of the gate, Anthony Edwards set the tone with a confident three-pointer over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, showing no hesitation and zero respect for the defense. Having grown used to defending the inconsistent D’Angelo Russell in the first round, KCP clearly wasn’t ready for a powerhouse like Edwards. The Timberwolves’ star continued his assault, scoring effortlessly against Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., mixing speed, strength, and finesse. Even when guarded by the bigger Aaron Gordon, Edwards used his superior footwork to slash through for easy baskets.
Murray later tried to deny Edwards touches with tight on-ball pressure. Edwards adjusted seamlessly, ditching isolation for sharp off-ball movement, shaking loose for an easy cut and layup off a Karl-Anthony Towns assist. In the first half alone, the game became Edwards’ personal showcase—even reigning MVP Nikola Jokic was momentarily overshadowed. After facing Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the opening round, Edwards now seemed to have unlocked a new level of confidence and awareness—and that evolution likely caught Denver off guard.
Logically, Denver tried to crank up the pressure. When single coverage failed, they attempted traps and soft doubles to force the ball out of Edwards’ hands. Initially, it slowed Minnesota’s rhythm, and the Nuggets clawed their way back, even taking a brief lead by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter shifted into a tactical grind, with Denver trying to wear the Wolves down through physical play and clock management.
But just when it seemed like the tide had turned, Edwards struck again. In the latter part of the second quarter, he carried the Wolves through a scoring drought, using brute strength and surgical footwork to pick apart Denver’s interior. His relentless drives repeatedly broke down the Nuggets’ defense, forcing them to adjust.
Coming out of halftime, Denver intensified its pressure, hoping to wear Edwards out—just as they had done successfully during the regular season, when his scoring dropped off late due to fatigue. But with Minnesota at full strength this time, the old strategy fell flat.
Towns opened the third quarter with an 11-point burst, rattling Denver’s defensive scheme. Then in the fourth, newly crowned Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid erupted for 14 points in a single quarter, tearing apart what remained of the Nuggets’ defensive foundation. With teammates firing on all cylinders, Denver could no longer afford to double Edwards, leaving him free to repeat the onslaught he started the game with—his performance drawing Jordan-esque comparisons.
The Wolves’ relentless team effort eventually ground Denver down. Bangladesh Cricket observers noted that Jokic, under the relentless pressure of Minnesota’s rotating bigs, struggled to finish near the basket. He was forced into nine three-point attempts, hitting just two—an inefficient outing that stood in stark contrast to his dominance in the paint against the Lakers.
For the first time this postseason, Jokic felt true resistance. Despite playing hard, he couldn’t will his team to victory. And in that sobering moment, it became clear: the Nuggets’ quest to repeat had just begun—and it’s going to be a dogfight.