Nuggets HC Sends Clear Message After Drawing Timberwolves in Playoffs

Despite ruling out four of their five starters and resting Nikola Jokic in the second half, the Denver Nuggets ended their 2025-26 season on a high note with a ten-point win over the San Antonio Spurs. With this, the Nuggets finished on a 12-game winning streak to jump from sixth to third place in the West, and will officially face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

Of course, the Timberwolves are a familiar opponent for the Nuggets, as they have faced off 28 times since the start of the 2022-23 season, including two playoff series. While the Nuggets have had their fair share of problems with the Timberwolves over the years, they are not ducking the matchup. After Sunday's season finale win, David Adelman made it clear they are ready for any matchup.

"I mean, we've played so many times over the years (in the) playoffs, regular season. We know each other ... We know it's going to be a battle. I mean, it always is with that team. But, I know this: you can't duck opponents, and they didn't want to duck us. We're not ducking anybody. ... The opponent's the opponent. We have a ton of respect for them, as I know they do for us. That's going to be a hell of a series," Adelman said.

Nuggets are "not ducking anybody"

The Nuggets could have faced the Houston Rockets instead of the Timberwolves in the first round if they had lost to the Spurs on Sunday. Based on their history and even on paper, the Timberwolves are a tougher matchup for the Nuggets than the Rockets would have been. However, as Adelman says, the Nuggets are not ducking any opponents.

Not to say the Rockets would have been an easy matchup, but the Nuggets are going to have a gauntlet getting to the Finals regardless. Of course, getting out of the first round will be tough, but then they will have the San Antonio Spurs waiting for them in round two. Then, the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

With such a grueling road ahead of them, there is no reason for the Nuggets to try to control their first-round matchup.

"Everybody talks about the best matchup and all these things—you don't know what's going to happen," Adelman said. "If you're asking to play against Kevin Durant, what?"

JOKER AND THE NUGGETS. ANT MAN AND THE WOLVES.

Round one will be cinema 🎬 pic.twitter.com/G2WvbmQ6Ye
— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2026

Riding a 12-game winning streak, led by the best duo in the NBA in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, why would the Nuggets be afraid of anybody?

The Nuggets have no reason to duck any opponents, and while there is an intimidation factor against the Timberwolves, considering they sent the Nuggets home in seven games the last time they met in the playoffs, Denver has likely put that behind them. The Nuggets won their season series against the Timberwolves 3-1, and there is reason to believe their playoff series will have a similar result.

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