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Kevin Garnett returns to Target Center for Timberwolves' finale
Former Minnesota Timberwolves' legend Kevin Garnett returned to Target Center Sunday night for the first time in eight years. He was escorted, along with his two daughters, to their courtside seats by owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore. He walked out to a standing ovation from fans, and a video tribute.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Denver Nuggets to open the Western Conference Playoffs.
It'll mark the third time in four seasons the two teams have met in the NBA Playoffs.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets playoff series
What we know:
The Nuggets rested several of their starters against the San Antonio Spurs Sunday night, but still got a 128-118 win to earn the No. 3 seed for the Western Conference Playoffs. The L.A. Lakers fell to the No. 4 spot despite beating the Utah Jazz 131-107 Sunday night.
The Timberwolves had already earned the No. 6 seed in the West last week. They got a 136-132 win over the Houston Rockets, and in Sunday’s regular season finale, beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-126 to finish the season 49-33.
The Timberwolves probably would’ve preferred to have the Lakers get the No. 3 seed, with star guard Luka Doncic dealing with a hamstring injury. Guard Austin Reaves is also dealing with an oblique injury.
The Timberwolves and Nuggets will play a best-of-seven series, with games 3 and 4 at Target Center, as as well as a game 6, if necessary.
Timberwolves rivalry with Nuggets
Why you should care:
The two teams enter the Western Conference Playoffs with quite the rivalry. The Nuggets went 3-1 this year against the Timberwolves in the regular season.
Last year, the Timberwolves swept the regular season 4-0, then the two teams didn’t meet in the playoffs. Minnesota got to its second straight Western Conference Finals, and the Nuggets got eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Timberwolves and Nuggets went seven games in the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals, and in Game 7, Minnesota came back from a 20-point deficit to win and advance to its first Western Conference Finals in 20 years.
In 2023, the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves in the first round on the way to winning the NBA title. Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels both missed that series due to injuries.
In 2017, the Timberwolves ended a 13-year playoff drought, needing overtime to beat the Nuggets in a play-in game, 112-106.
Game 1 set for Saturday
What's next:
The Timberwolves will travel to Denver and face the Nuggets in Game 1 of their playoff series at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Amazon Prime.