Although the Minnesota Timberwolves won’t be in the same downtown area for Christmas, they too get a primetime contest. The NBA has traditionally dominated the Christmas Day sports scene, and two straight Western Conference Finals appearances have Chris Finch’s squad showing up for marquee matchups.

MN Timberwolves get the Denver Nuggets for Christmas

In franchise history the Minnesota Timberwolves have played just three games on Christmas Day. They lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 and beat the Los Angeles Lakers the following year. Last season they bested the Dallas Mavericks. This season will be their fourth appearance as they take on the Denver Nuggets.

🚨🎄 NBA Christmas Day 2025 on ABC and ESPN, per sources:

– Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

– San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

– Houston Rockets at LA Lakers

– Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

– Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2025

Minnesota has developed something of a rivalry against the Nuggets. In 2023-24, the Timberwolves sent Nikola Jokic and Denver home in a seven-game Western Conference Semifinals series. Last year the teams did not meet in the playoffs, but Minnesota held the upper hand in the season series going 4-0.

Anthony Edwards finished with 26 points on Christmas Day last season. Julius Randle supplemented the scoring with 23 points of his own.

Denver will have a new look in leadership this season after they canned head coach Mike Malone near the end of last season. David Adelman is now the man in charge, and will look to get Jokic and his team back to title contention.

The MN Timberwolves made waves this offseason with new contracts for Naz Reid and Julius Randle. They have yet to add a playmaking point guard option, but that still seems like an area the roster could use an upgrade.

Related: Former MN Timberwolves Player Evicted from Home

During the draft the Timberwolves spent capital on a pair of young big men. It’s unlikely Australian center Rocco Zikarsky contributes this season, but the Frenchman Joan Beringer may crack the rotation.

While fans are celebrating the holiday with their families, the Minnesota Timberwolves can provide an additional present by coming through with a win on Christmas Day as they’ll provide the nightcap at 9:30 PM CST.

The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25) for the 18th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup. pic.twitter.com/GjmfyljacD

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2025

Let’s fast-forward, though. Because if we look beyond the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of questions to answer this offseason.

Timberwolves have decisions to make this offseason… inside the front office

Short of a run to the NBA Finals, it’ll be difficult for Wolves president Tim Connelly to convince new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez that this Timberwolves roster — which is due to return its most expensive players next season if Julius Randle opts into his player option — is worth a $90+ million luxury tax bill.

The questions do not stop at the 2025-26 roster and future luxury tax payments, though. Connelly, himself, has an option in his contract that needs to be addressed before he controls anything to do with the future of the Minnesota Timberwolves organization.

That’s where the Denver Nuggets come into the picture. Remember, Tim was working as PoBO in Denver three years ago, when Lore and A-Rod saw an opportunity to swoop in and sway arguably the most underpaid head decision-maker in basketball to leave Colorado for a hefty payday in Minnesota.

After the Nuggets fired both their head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth Wednesday, Denver ownership seems to have gained a new respect for what Tim Connelly did, running a drama-free show in that went nuclear once he left.

Denver Nuggets want to take Tim Connelly back from Minnesota Timberwolves?

So with Connelly’s contract up this offseason with the Timberwolves, his old team is reportedly planning to make a run at bringing him back out west. Of course, there was a reason why Lore and A-Rod targeted Connelly in the first place. Thus, according to this morning’s reporting by Sam Amick and Tony Jones (The Athletic) Lore and A-Rod aren’t about to let their guy slip away that easy.

League sources expect there to be discussions about a possible reunion [in Denver] with Tim Connelly, the former Nuggets general manager who drafted Jokić and whose departure to the Minnesota Timberwolves in May 2022 led to Booth’s promotion from his assistant general manager role.

While Connelly has an opt-out in his contract for this summer, it’s widely believed that Timberwolves owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore will do what it takes to retain him. League sources say Connelly’s right-hand man in Minnesota, general manager Matt Lloyd, is expected to receive consideration for the Nuggets job as well.

The Athletic

Now, could this report wind up being nothing more than a bullet point in Connelly’s presentation to the Wolves this offseason, during contract negotiations? It’s very possible. But if there is any organization that could reel Tim away from the Wolves, it’s probably his former team.

MN Timberwolves playing in must-win game Thursday night

The Minnesota Timberwolves had been playing well, recently, and entered their last game against the Milwaukee Bucks as winners of four-straight. Up by more than 20 points in the fourth quarter, it felt like they were on their way to an easy fifth-straight win.

Then, they were outscored 40-13 in that final period, ultimately falling 103-110 at Fiserv Arena. Tonight, they get back on the horse in Memphis vs the Grizzlies, another West team battling for playoff position against Minnesota and Denver. It’s without a doubt one of the most important regular season games in recent Timberwolves history.

Related: Confirmed: Timberwolves’ Trade Interest in NBA Superstar is Mutual

But no matter what happens on the court Thursday, the Wolves won’t be down as bad as the Grizzlies — whose only superstar can’t stay out of trouble — or their Northwest Division rival Nuggets, who just a week before the playoffs are set to start, fired their head coach and general manager on Wednesday.

Similarly to the Memphis Grizzles firing of Taylor Jenkins a couple of weeks ago, the Nuggets sent shockwaves through NBA circles Tuesday when ownership fired both Malone and GM Calvin Booth, just two years removed from an NBA Finals win and fresh off six-straight Western Conference Finals appearances or better.

Full clean out: The Denver Nuggets are also firing general manager Calvin Booth, sources tell ESPN. Michael Malone and Booth both out today. pic.twitter.com/FvqOAFyOKy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025

Minnesota Timberwolves former assistant promoted in Denver after Nuggets clean house

Denver could have gone a couple of different directions in the “post-Malone” era (no pun intended). In fact, the Nuggets had two former Minnesota Timberwolves coaches to choose from. David Adelman — a former Wolves assistant and son of former head coach Rick Adelman — was the final choice, over former Minnesota head coach, Ryan Saunders, who remains on Adelman’s staff, at least for now.

Malone was hired as the head coach for Denver prior to the 2015 season. He owned a 798-471 record across 10 seasons walking the Nuggets’ sideline. Entering the day, Denver is 4th in an incredibly tight Western Conference playoff picture.

The Denver Nuggets have relieved Head Coach Michael Malone of his duties and will not extend General Manager Calvin Booth.

David Adelman will assume our head coaching role for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Full Release: https://t.co/d176KtKK5w pic.twitter.com/dMYlxIqoCl

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 8, 2025

Michael Malone was originally hired by now Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, who ran the Nuggets from 2013-2022 as GM and eventually PoBO, before Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore called him up and convinced him to switch Western Conference allegiances.

Calvin Booth, who was also fired today, worked under Connell from 2017-2020, and was promoted when his former boss left. Even more intriguing, Calvin Booth worked for the Timberwolves front office from 2013-2017, before leaving for Denver.

Nuggets choose David Adelman over Ryan Saunders

Adelman began his professional career as a player development coach for the MN Timberwolves back in 2011. He was with Minnesota for five seasons, before stopping in Orlando, then Denver, where he has spent the past eight seasons on Malone’s staff.

It will be up to the 43-year-old former assistant — with zero head coaching experience — to guide Denver into and through what Nuggets fans hope will be another deep postseason run. Last year, the Timberwolves downed the Nuggets in an epic seven-game series that thwarted their repeat attempt. It’s very plausible that the two teams see each other again this spring, maybe even in the first round.

Former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders is also on the Nuggets staff. Despite previous head coaching experience, he was passed over as the replacement for Malone. Saunders started his career in Washington as an assistant and joined his dad Flip in Minnesota.

Related: Confirmed: Timberwolves’ Trade Interest in NBA Superstar is Mutual

Saunders took over the lead role in Minnesota to start the 2018 season. His dad had died three years earlier, and the franchise continued to watch Ryan grow on his own. Unfortunately, as a head coach, Saunders led the Timberwolves to a 43-94 record across three seasons.

Given the amount of youth on his side, it’s likely that Saunders will land another head coaching gig at some point. There was some talk he could be in play for the Minnesota Gophers position, but wisely Mark Coyle grabbed an experienced Niko Medved instead.

That led to Denver head coach, Mike Malone, giving some early thoughts on the Wolves, as a matchup, that sent shockwaves through the NBA. He knew his Nuggets were in trouble. Of course, the defending champs fought back valiantly, rattled off three-straight wins and forced the Wolves to do their own soul searching.

Nikola Jokic talks about how good Minnesota Timberwolves are

But when the dust settled on Game 7, it was Minnesota moving on. Why? Because the Wolves were the better, deeper team; something Anthony Edwards talked about entering game 6, with the Timberwolves down 3-2. After game 7, it was league MVP Nikola Jokic’s turn to call out the talent and depth of this dynamic, hard-working Timberwolves roster.

The Joker gives his respect to the Timberwolves and discusses if they are a potential rival of the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/u6lboY1YPr

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 20, 2024

“I think they’re built to beat us in some ways. Just look at their roster. Basically they have two all-stars, two defensive players of the year, and Mike Conley who is probably the most underrated player in the NBA. I love the guy, he is so good. He always makes the right play. He didn’t shoot it well this game, but at one moment he was the leading rebounder in the game for them. From the bench they have the sixth man of the year, and Kyle, and Alexander-Walker who was really good for them. It’s a team that can do a little of everything. They can play big and small.”

Nikola Jokic talks about how good the Minnesota Timberwolves are after game 7

Facing a very good Denver Nuggets team, led by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, head coach Chris Finch knew he would need much more than Anthony Edwards’ rising superstar to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Finchy knew that, not only would Anthony Edwards need to have his ‘here I am’ moments, as would Karl Anthony Towns (which he did, especially in games six and seven), but that the rest of the team would have to be head and shoulders better than the rotational depth for Denver.

How much better was the Minnesota Timberwolves depth vs Denver Nuggets

During Game 7, we saw all of that come together in a way nobody really expected. We learned just how important KAT is to this team, when he carried them during moments where Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards were struggling with confidence.

Related: Comparing Ant’s Playoff Resume to MJ, LeBron and Kobe

But look beyond Towns. Minnesota had six players in double-figures on Sunday. Jaden McDaniels went 7-for-10 for 23 huge points and Naz Reid woke up just in time, providing 7 of his 11 points at the very end of the fourth quarter, when the Wolves needed him most.

A GAME 7 FEAST. 🍽️

Jaden – 23 PTS / 6 REB / 2 STL
KAT – 23 PTS / 12 REB / 2 STL
Ant – 16 PTS / 8 REB / 7 AST / 2 STL
Rudy – 13 PTS / 9 REB / 2 BLK
Naz – 11 PTS / 2 BLK
Mike – 10 PTS / 8 REB pic.twitter.com/HyoOA7m2cN

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 20, 2024

Meanwhile, Murray and Jokic combined for 69 points, but no other Nuggets players scored more than 7 points. In total, Denver players not named Murray or Jokic combined for 21 total points. Having such a deep rotation of talented stars, it certainly wasn’t lost on Jokic just how tough the Timberwolves are to shut down.

Getting that sort of praise heaped onto a team by such a talented player is beyond eye-opening. Then again, the same man that helped construct Denver’s title-contending team is now in charge of the Timberwolves. There is a reason that Minnesota doesn’t want to lose Tim Connelly, and watching him build this sort of a roster is something that fans have been dreaming of for decades.

Related: Karl-Anthony Towns Rose Up When Timberwolves Needed Him Most

The job isn’t done for the Timberwolves though, and they certainly aren’t out to celebrate reaching the conference finals. With an impending date against a Dallas Mavericks team that they went 3-1 against this year, Minnesota is favored in the match up and have sights set on matching up against the best in the Eastern Conference.

The greatness of the Timberwolves roster will continue to be tested when they take the court on Wednesday night. Needing eight more wins before planning a parade, Anthony Edwards, Karl Anthony Towns, and every other player in the rotation will need to continue bringing their best on a nightly basis.

Despite being down by 15 points at halftime, and a deficit that grew as large as 20, the Wolves were able to turn things around in the 3rd quarter and mount a comeback that made history. And now, the Minnesota Timberwolves are heading to the Western Conference Finals.

Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined to go 2-for-22 in the first half. None of them could find any sort of success, and Edwards’ performance was especially concerning.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves teammates pickup Anthony Edwards

For some reason, he was deferring to others on almost every possession, and it seemed as though his unshakable confidence was suddenly gone, along with his killer instinct. But halfway through the 3rd quarter, something seemed to click inside of Ant’s teammates.

While Edwards’ struggles continued, his cohorts, especially Karl Anthony Towns (23 pts, 12 reb), Jaden McDaniels (23 pts, 7 reb) and later on, Naz Reid (7 of 11 points in final 7 minutes) put Ant and the rest of the Wolves on their backs.

Karl-Anthony Towns post-up fadeaway jumper pic.twitter.com/gXgXJz6iZr

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 20, 2024

But it was KAT who proved all of his haters wrong on Sunday. His 23 points and 12 rebounds were both team highs. And despite racking up five fouls halfway through the 4th quarter, Towns remained on the court through the final buzzer.

A poor shooting night from Edwards turned when he nailed a late three-pointer, and it was again sixth man of the year Naz Reid that put up incredible minutes. His tip slam in the 4th quarter was something of a punctuation mark, and the only thing left was for Minnesota to watch the clock tick away.

Chuck: "I have not been to Minnesota in probably 20 years."

Ant: "Bring ya ass!" 😂 pic.twitter.com/GRJ7iLvinC

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 20, 2024

Hosting the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards will welcome Charles Barkley and the TNT team to Minneapolis. Postgame Barkley noted it had been some time since he had visited the state, and Edwards told him it was time to end that stretch.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Open as West Finals Favorite vs Dallas Mavericks

Noting Kyrie Irving will be his matchup, Edwards is flipping the page to the next round. As the three seed Minnesota will have plenty of momentum riding back to the Target Center. The Timberwolves went 3-1 against Dallas this season, and they held down home court advantage winning both matchups in Minnesota.

Chuck: "I have not been to Minnesota in probably 20 years."

Ant: "Bring ya ass!" 😂 pic.twitter.com/GRJ7iLvinC

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 20, 2024

Luka Doncic is the next superstar that the defense will have to contend with, and that side of the ball has been the team’s calling card all year long. The Denver Nuggets are the latest defending champion that fails to advance beyond the second round, and Minnesota taking down a juggernaut like that en route to the final round on their side of the bracket is something else.

Related: A-Rod, Marc Lore Acting and Partying Like Majority Owners of the Timberwolves

The Timberwolves have to hope that Edwards returns to form on Wednesday in Game 1 against the Mavericks, and if that happens out of the gate, then Minnesota has to be excited about their chances to advance.

In what might have been the best game in franchise history, a Timberwolves fan base was able to believe in a team that truly has shown incredible levels of ability. The ride isn’t over yet. Someone check on Draymond Green.

Of course, Anthony Edwards and Co. will lead the charge, but everyone in the Wolf Pack understands this is a big game for Towns too. In fact, it’s the biggest game of KAT’s career, as it is for many other current Timberwolves.

But other Wolves players don’t face nearly the same amount of scrutiny as the “greatest big man shooter of all time.” Other Timberwolves aren’t the second-highest-paid player on the team, making $36 million this season.

The former No. 1 overall pick may not be the franchise-transcending talent that Edwards is, but Towns has played a key role in the Timberwolves’ most successful season since 2004. Towns is experiencing the good right now, but he’s also had to see the bad and the ugly, such as 19, and 23-win seasons from 2019-2021.

Karl-Anthony Towns as focused as ever for Game 7 series finale

The rarity of where the Wolves are today isn’t lost on the longest-tenured member of the team. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that Karl-Anthony Towns is locked and loaded hours ahead of tonight’s tip-off. He was reportedly the first player to step foot inside Ball Arena’s court area.

One spectator who has the privilege of being at Game 7 even captured a very brief clip showing Towns calmly taking in the scene before tip-off, in a near meditation-like phase. The video may look like it was filmed in fear, as if they were capturing Bigfoot on tape, but here it is, in all its glory.

Cousin just sent me this from Denver…

KAT legacy game loading pic.twitter.com/unI7YJ1Pcy

— AAA (@BM_Ahmed) May 19, 2024

Is KAT about to have a big game? Towns’ playoff career-high came in 2022 against Memphis, when he scored 33 points in a Game 4 win. The most points he’s scored this postseason came against Phoenix in Minnesota’s Game 4 win, where Towns scored 28.

Meanwhile, he’s struggled a bit more against Denver, but he’s still recorded three 20-point performances and enters tonight with solid all-around stats against the Nuggets this postseason.

• Karl-Anthony Towns stats vs Nuggets (2024 playoffs): 17.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 44% 3PT

We’ll find out soon enough how prepared Towns is for the series finale in Denver, but now would be a great time for a vintage KAT performance from the two-time All-NBA center.

Related: See where Karl-Anthony Towns ranks among the greatest Timberwolves ever

Ant all but called a game 6 victory when walking past an arena attendant before leaving Denver following a game 5 loss that put the Wolves up against the ropes. Was he willing to do the same before a do or die game 7?

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves believe they are better than the Denver Nuggets

Not quite. Instead, when asked by media if winning games one and two in Denver gives the team any additional confidence in game 7, Anthony Edwards pushed back, saying that the Nuggets kicked their asses back in Minneapolis and once in Colorado, so that didn’t matter.

What does matter, according to the Timberwolves blossoming young superstar (and leader), is that the Timberwolves believe they are the better team. That’s what gives them confidence.

Ant was asked if winning 2 games in Denver earlier in the series gives MIN confidence heading into Game 7… pic.twitter.com/JDXYnqG38K

— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) May 18, 2024

“I think we are confident just because we are a great team. We are going against another great team and we feel like we’re just the better team. That’s all the confident that we need. The two previous games don’t mean anything because they beat our ass on our home court so that don’t mean anything. Right now, it’s just about who plays better tomorrow.”

Anthony Edwards on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ confidence that they are a better team than the Denver Nuggets

A lot could happen on Sunday night and a lot of it will come down to who hits shots and who doesn’t or how the ball bounces is the final minutes of a game that will decide which of these two teams moves on to play in the Western Conference finals.

Related: A-Rod, Marc Lore Acting and Partying Like Majority Owners of the Timberwolves

But if there is anybody that I could have on my team for such a game, it would be Anthony Edwards. I know the other team has the MVP and maybe Nuggets fans will find that hyperbolic. But if you firmly believe that Ant is the next face of this league, then this just feels like another step to destiny.

We’ll find out soon enough.

Minnesota Timberwolves draw referee Marc Davis for game 6

Of course, I wouldn’t be writing this if it was an inconsequential detail. Does the name Marc Davis sound familiar? Would his face look more recognizable if I photoshop Nuggets head coach Mike Malone screaming at him from one inch away? Maybe a full body shot with a Jamal Murray heat pack underneath his feet?

#NBAPlayoffs WEST SEMIFINALS – GAME 6
⏰ 830PM ET
🏀 @nuggets at @Timberwolves
🏀 #8 Davis, #60 Williams, #39 Ford
📺 @ESPNNBA #NBA #NBAReferees

Alternate Official: Brent Barnaky pic.twitter.com/zj9xtTiEcB

— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) May 16, 2024

Ring a bell? Yes, the last time the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets, Jamal Murray, Mike Malone and others were so flustered by the sheer suffocation of the Wolves’ defense that, at different times in the game, Malone nearly headbutted him and Murray threw two different items Marc Davis, the same crew chief for tonight’s matchup.

A look back at the beef between Marc Davis and the Denver Nuggets

It was quite the scene in Denver throughout game 2. Davis and his crew were determined to let the two teams play physical, and they set that tone early with very few whistles. Without a doubt, that worked in favor of the Wolves’, given the in-your-face style defense they deployed without Rudy Gobert in the lineup.

But Marc and his crew didn’t just swallow their whistles that night, regarding contact between players. Davis was nearly headbutted by Malone early in the contest. Much later, Murray quite literally threw his own temper tantrum from the bench, actually flinging both a towel and a heat pack at their favorite crew chief.

How is this coach still on the bench? Honestly I think he wanted to be tossed to motivate his team & the ref didn’t even blink.
Jamal Murray throws a heat pack on the floor & not even a warning to the Nuggets bench. WTF!!!
The #Timberwolves played thru it
pic.twitter.com/NVGiVSuJcz

— Ron Johnson (@3RonJohnson) May 7, 2024

Related: NBA Fines Rudy Gobert Again, Proving it Pays to Be Jamal Murray

Right Backboard angle of Jamal Murray throwing 2 objects toward referee Marc Davis on the baseline during live action (towel 0:05, heat pack 0:18); followed by Murray turning his head around towards the crowd (0:26) when ref approaches the bench asking about the heat pack thrown pic.twitter.com/DD1dRgGyBJ

— diplan1 (@Diplan1) May 7, 2024

All Murray received for his above actions was a $100,000 fine, which is the same fine that Rudy Gobert received for flashing the money signs at referees during a regular season game earlier in the year. Oh, they the NBA slapped another one of those on Rudy this week too. Apparently tossing money signs at referees is equally as egregious as tossing physical objects.

But now, the Jamal Murray heat pack throw feels like it happened eons ago. After dropping three-straight, the Minnesota Timberwolves sit in danger of their 2023-24 season coming to an end on Thursday night, if they can’t force a game 7.

Related: NBA Exec Convinced Jamal Murray Avoided Suspension to Protect NBA TV Ratings

Anthony Edwards pretty much guaranteed a victory to a Ball Arena employee before they left Denver the other day, which is pretty much the same as what Joe Namath did all those years ago. Plus, the sportsbooks are on their side too. What could go wrong, right?

Then dropping both games at home, it’s now a best of three series begging someone to defend home court. In their Game 2 matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Chris Finch and Micah Nori had the Minnesota Timberwolves ready to go despite being without Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

The new father wasn’t able to make a plane to Denver, and Minnesota found themselves shorthanded. Executing on keys to victory in that contest, the Timberwolves trailed by just two while building a lead that ultimately reached 32 points.

WHAT A SEQUENCE. WHAT A SHOT. THAT'S JUST JAMAL MURRAY. pic.twitter.com/9urX9myNt8

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 13, 2024

The game plan didn’t work so well in either Game 3 or Game 4, and Minnesota will need to spend time figuring out where it went wrong. If they want to replicate that excellence in Game 5, here are four keys to a Timberwolves victory.

Make Nikola Jokic Run

In the first game of the series it was apparent that Nikola Jokic wasn’t ready for the battle of athleticism that he was in for. Minnesota decided to put the smaller Karl-Anthony Towns on the reigning MVP, and what he lacked in size, he made up for in athleticism.

Related: Nikola Jokic Already Sounds Exhausted by Timberwolves’ Defense, Depth

Certainly it helped to have Rudy Gobert protecting the rim on the back side, but Jokic was running ragged all game long. As long as KAT can continue to avoid foul trouble, he presents a matchup nightmare for Jokic.

Making him move around the court and forcing him to be constantly engaged from an athleticism standpoint, the size advantage works against the Nuggets big and right into the Timberwolves hands. While Jokic is certainly going to get his on a game-by-game basis, mitigating his excellence is something that Minnesota can focus on.

Frustrate Jamal Murray

Defense has been a calling card for Minnesota all season long. As the best defensive team in the NBA, it isn’t just one player getting the job done. Yes, Gobert is the big name in the paint, but Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been stifling on guards. Anthony Edwards has locked in and no position is given the freedom to dribble.

The Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was clearly flustered during Game 2 when he hurled a heating pack onto the court. Somehow that choice wasn’t handed a suspension. Taking away opportunities for him to operate freely will reflect in the box score and on the court.

Both Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaden McDaniels struggled in the two home tilts for Minnesota, and the former was the one frustrated. Those tables have to turn.

Today's show: Getting Ready For Game 3, Live at Falling Knife w/ @AROD, @brittrobson and @KyleTheige

Big thanks to everyone who came out.

YouTube: https://t.co/IOHCwQXOOC
Spotify: https://t.co/gsZ2XRxUte
iTunes: https://t.co/XYdDbzamyb pic.twitter.com/ZUDaoELmRm

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 10, 2024

Related: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Explains His Technical

Minnesota Timberwolves need a second scorer

As he has much of the season, Edwards has been the draw to stir the Timberwolves drink. Executing on their keys to victory will again include him getting his. After 43 in Game 1, he followed by matching Karl Anthony Towns with 27 in Game 2. Pouring in a ridiculous 44 during Game 4, it was literally Edwards and no one else.

Related: Anthony Edwards’ Kicks Are Living in the Limelight

We haven’t seen McDaniels or Conley show up substantially yet in the box score, and Gobert has only played in three of the four games. This series could have been about Towns figuring out a way to show he’s ready for the big stage, but he has wilted under pressure more often than not, and in the most significant way during Game 4.

Cause Frustration but Avoid It

It’s clear that the Nuggets weren’t expecting to be in this position, and Murray’s antics during Game 2 suggest they are susceptible to cracking. As tensions run high, especially if the Timberwolves can execute on their keys to victory and push a lead early in Game 5, they’ll need to carry their composure.

The goal should be to frustrate the Nuggets into poor possessions and turnovers. Ideally that would translate into long runs for Minnesota. No matter what the case ends up being, Finch and Nori have to keep their squad dialed in and not allow emotion to take hold of the moment. Minnesota is in position to do something special, and remaining focused on that goal is a must.

Prior to being hired by the Wolves, Connelly was the Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations from 2017 to 2022, and vice PoBO for five years before that.

Tim Connelly shaped the Denver Nuggets into NBA champions

He was there when they drafted Nikola Jokic and he was running the show for Denver when they drafted Jamal Murray. He even hired Mike Malone. Without a doubt, the Timberwolves PoBO played a big role in shaping the Denver into the NBA champions they are today.

Upon arrival at Mayo Clinic Square, Tim Connelly didn’t hesitate to transform Minnesota into serious contenders, either. His trades for Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were often criticized throughout the NBA, especially when year one didn’t go as smoothly as planned, but everything he has touched now looks like it has gone gold.

But now, in an intriguing twist of fate, Connelly finds himself in a unique situation where the team he built and the team he built to beat that one are locking horns in the Western Conference semifinals. And it’s possible Tim finds himself building up a 3rd roster next season.

As it stands, Tim Connelly’s contract includes an opt-out clause at the end of this season. Whether he’ll exercise it remains uncertain, but there are already suitors lining up. Connelly has solidified his reputation as one of the top executives in basketball, making him a coveted asset in the eyes of many franchises.

Minnesota Timberwolves eyeing another Nuggets executive, Calvin Booth

But according to longtime local insider Charley Walters (Pioneer Press), the Timberwolves have another Denver Nuggets front office exec in their crosshairs. Should Connelly jump ship, one of their top targets to replace him would be current Nuggets general manager, Calvin Booth, who played for the Wolves back in 2008-2009, as one of the final stops during his 10-year NBA career.

If Timberwolves President Tim Connelly exercises his contract out-clause after the season, word in basketball circles is that his successor could be ex-Timberwolf Calvin Booth, who is general manager of the Nuggets.

Charley Walters – Pioneer Press

Not only is Calvin Booth a former player for the Timberwolves, he’s also a previous director of player personnel in Minnesota, a position he fought up the Timberwolves front office ladder for from 2013-2017, before he was hired by the Nuggets as their assistant general manager, under Tim Connelly.

Related: Can We Hang Tim Connelly’s Suit Coat in Target Center Rafters for DLo / Mike Conley Trade?

After Connelly’s departure for Minnesota, Booth stepped up to fill his shoes, and helped win a championship in his second year. Prior to that, Booth served as the director of player personnel for the Timberwolves from 2014 to 2017. His journey continued as he made a move to Denver in August 2017, where he took on the role of assistant GM.

It’s hard to imagine anyone stepping into Tim Connelly’s shoes and matching his impact, but Calvin Booth could definitely be a strong contender for the role. With his wealth of experience, he seems like a promising choice to fill the position.