Official website predicts Nuggets will eliminate Timberwolves 4-2! Will Jokic continue to dominate Gobert? Injuries become the X-factor.

On April 13 Beijing time, the Nuggets confirmed their first-round matchup against the Timberwolves and hold home-court advantage. The NBA official website previewed this series, predicting the Nuggets will ultimately eliminate the Timberwolves 4-2 and advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The following are related details—

The Nuggets (54 wins, 28 losses) entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the West and will face the No. 6 seed Timberwolves in the first round. The Timberwolves won 49 games this season and reached the Western Conference Finals consecutively in 2024 and 2025, making this series highly intriguing. Notably: The Nuggets had a 3-1 record against the Timberwolves this season, and Jokic was nearly unstoppable in those matchups.

Key Points

Injuries and Health. As the saying goes: The most crucial ability for a team is simply "being able to play."

Timberwolves' core guard Anthony Edwards missed 11 of the final 14 regular-season games due to right knee issues/injury management. In the past two playoffs, he delivered explosive performances, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals twice; over 31 playoff games, he averaged 26.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 steals, with shooting percentages of 46.8% FG and 37.6% 3PT, while logging extremely high minutes (39.8 per game) and usage rate (28.7%).

Forward Jaden McDaniels missed 6 of the final 9 games due to left knee patellar tendinitis.

The Nuggets also battled injuries throughout the entire season: Aaron Gordon missed 40 games due to a right hamstring issue, the most severe injury; Cam Johnson missed over 20 games due to a right knee problem; Peyton Watson missed over 20 games with a right hamstring strain; three-time MVP Nikola Jokic missed 14 games with a left knee contusion while also managing a right wrist injury. The Nuggets prioritized health and securing first-round home-court advantage all season, finishing the regular season with a 12-game winning streak.

Focus Areas

Nikola Jokic's Dominance. His performance this season could arguably match, or even surpass, his three MVP seasons.

In the 2025-26 season, Jokic averaged: 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.4 steals, shooting 56.9% FG, 37.9% 3PT, 83.1% FT. His 34 triple-doubles tied his career record, and he became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both assists and rebounds in a single season.

In four games against the Timberwolves this season, he posted monstrous stats: averaging 35.8 points, 15 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.3 steals, with shooting percentages of 65.3% FG, 50% 3PT, 93.2% FT.

Additional Highlights for Both Teams

Nuggets

Jamal Murray delivered his best career season, earning his first All-Star selection.

He averaged 25.4 points, 7.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds, shooting 48.3% FG, 43.5% 3PT, with 18 double-doubles—all career highs.

During the 2023 championship playoff run, Murray already showcased extraordinary performances. If he can combine this season's form with his 2023 playoff level in this series, the Nuggets will be extremely difficult to defeat.

Against the Timberwolves this season, Murray averaged 31.5 points with a 43.6% three-point shooting rate.

Timberwolves

Candidate for Sixth Man of the Year and winner of the award in the 2023-24 season, Naz Reid, saw a noticeable shooting decline in the final two months of the season.

His shooting percentage dropped from 46.9% before the All-Star break to 41.9% after it;

his three-point percentage plummeted from 38.5% to 27.8%; rebounds and assists also slightly decreased.

The Timberwolves need him to provide scoring punch from the bench to support Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.

Key Statistics

170—During the regular season, Murray passed 170 assists to Jokic, the highest number between any teammates in the league; second place was Jokic's 147 assists to Murray.

To defend against the league's top offense, the first priority is limiting this historically lethal duo.

Data shows Jokic set 894 screens for Murray, the highest in the league; he handed off 453 passes, 165 more than the second-place player. In the 1706 minutes they shared the court, the Nuggets scored a staggering 127.8 points per 100 possessions.

During the regular season, in the 121 minutes Rudy Gobert was on court, the Timberwolves defended the Nuggets relatively well (allowing 108.6 points per 100 possessions), yet the Nuggets still outscored them; when Gobert was off the court, the Timberwolves' defense was completely breached.

Official Website Prediction: Nuggets eliminate Timberwolves 4-2

The Nuggets secured the No. 3 seed with strong performances, possessing the league's best offense capable of overwhelming any opponent.

The combination of Jokic and Murray, along with the team's improving health and slight defensive improvement after the All-Star break, gives the Nuggets the advantage in this series.