Playoff Seeding Scenarios Become Clearer After Wolves' Win Over Rockets

With Anthony Edwards back in the lineup, the Timberwolves took care of business in their penultimate regular-season game on Friday night, with a 136-132 win over the Rockets on the road. And we learned more about who their first-round playoff opponent might be.

Win over the Rockets

Minnesota's late-season injuries might've provided Terrence Shannon Jr. with the perfect opportunity to regain his confidence with a bigger role. He had a team-high 23 points off the bench on Friday night on 8 of 13 shooting from the field with 5 of 7 shooting from three. It marked his second straight with 20 or more points for the first time in his professional career.

Edwards added 22 points on 7 of 14 shooting in his first game in a week. He played 22 minutes and finished with two rebounds and three assists. With Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert still healing up out of the lineup, Minnesota used a balanced effort from its healthy contingent.

ANT STEPBACK THREE

GOOD LUCK GUARDING THAT pic.twitter.com/LrpKcDYNvr
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 11, 2026

Kyle Anderson had 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists, which was statistically his best game since rejoining the team as a free agent in February. Rookie big man Joan Beringer had a career-high 14 points on a perfect 5 of 5 night from the field.

Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu all scored in double figures, and Minnesota was able to overcome a huge 41-point night from Rockets guard Amen Thompson and 33 points from Kevin Durant.

Playoff outlook

The Timberwolves have been locked into the No. 6 seed since Wednesday, but their first-round opponent remains up in the air. There was the potential of facing the Rockets, but that scenario was ended with Friday's win.

It will be the Nuggets or Lakers in the first round for Minnesota. Denver appears to be doing its best to fall into the No. 4 seed, as star players Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon were all out of the lineup on Friday against Oklahoma City. Despite the strategy, they still beat the league's No. 1 overall team by 20 points.

If the Nuggets beat the Spurs in San Antonio on Sunday, they will have a first-round series against the Wolves. The Lakers would have to beat the last-place Jazz on Sunday at home, and Denver would have to lose in order to face Minnesota in the first round.

It might behoove the Spurs to blow out the Nuggets in order to avoid one of Denver or OKC in the later rounds of the playoffs, so both scenarios still remain very possible. Minnesota will close the regular season on Sunday against the Pelicans at the Target Center at 7:30 p.m. local time.