January 31, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Image The Minnesota Timberwolves conclude a three-game road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon for a chance to improve their seeding in the Western Conference playoffs.
Minnesota won its first two games on the road and now faces a tough task against its Northwest Division rivals.
Denver has already secured the season series tiebreaker by winning the first three matchups. Both teams have identical 37-23 records, so the winner of Sunday’s game will take sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Nuggets lost three of their first five games of the All-Star break, including a 127-121 overtime loss at Oklahoma City on Friday night. Sunday’s game gives them a chance to regain some momentum.
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic already appears to be in a postseason mindset after being in the mix with the Thunder during the loss.
Jokic went down in a confrontation with the Oklahoma City forward in the fourth quarter after being hit on the buttocks by Lugenz Dort. There was some pushing and shoving before Dort was ejected for two serious fouls.
Jokic, who leads Denver in scoring (28.7), rebounds (12.6) and assists (10.5), has an easygoing and deliberate demeanor on the court that belies his competitive nature.
“I think he was reacting to what was done to him,” Denver coach David Adelman said. “And his response is unflinching. He’s competitive.”
Playing Minnesota again will keep the fiery spirit of Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets alive. The two teams have built a rivalry over the past four seasons, including two playoff series.
There’s no doubt about Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards’ fiery personality and competitive spirit.
Edwards missed the first game against the Nuggets this season, but is averaging 35.0 points in two games between the two teams. That includes a game in which he scored 44 points on Christmas night before being ejected in overtime for claiming a foul call.
Edwards, who leads the Timberwolves in scoring with 29.6 points per game, doesn’t limit his claims to opponents and officials. He got into an argument with coach Chris Finch after hitting a 3-pointer in Thursday’s 94-88 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to team members, this is a hallmark of their relationship.
“They do that. Honestly, they do that,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. “They do that… they have days where they get ready to fight, and after the fight they hug each other.”
Finch confirmed this in an interview with Fox Sports Radio.
“We’re both fierce competitors. It’s been a part of our relationship since day one. … We tell each other these things and move on,” Finch said. “We don’t take it personally.”
The task of stopping Jokic will largely fall on Rudy Gobert, who leads Minnesota in rebounds (11.4) and blocks (1.7). No one could stop Jokic when the teams met on Christmas Day. The three-time MVP had a triple-double of 56 points, including 18 in overtime.
Jokic averaged 36.0 points, 15.7 rebounds and 12.0 assists in three games against the Timberwolves.
–Field level media
