Timberwolves won just one more game after dispatching Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves were rightfully excited after their monster comeback against the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.

They won just one more playoff game after that.

The Dallas Mavericks sent the Wolves out of the playoffs on Thursday night with a 124-103 beatdown. Minnesota finished 3-7 in its final 10 postseason games after starting 6-0. They also went 1-5 at home in their last six postseason contests at Target Center.

The Wolves punked the Nuggets in Game 2 at Ball Arena to take a commanding series lead. Many wanted to crown the them champs after that, but they came crashing back down to Earth.

Should Denver fans be happy with this result? Perhaps.

One line of thinking is the team that knocked our your favorite squad is now done. They won only two more playoff games than the Nuggets in 2024.

But the other is the cold reality that Denver blew a 20-point second half lead at home in Game 7. They had it, they really did, then things completely fell apart.

Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were probably more hurt than we realized. Michael Porter Jr. had an awful series. And three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic simply didn’t have enough help.

Instead of Denver having a chance at going back-t0-back, it’ll now be the No. 5 seed Mavericks representing the Western Conference in the Finals. Many feel like the Nuggets could’ve beaten Dallas this year, but we never got the chance to find out.

Those “growing pains” that everyone expected from Minnesota seemingly happened a round later. Yes, the Nuggets had two chances to close the Timberwolves out, but got blasted by 45 points in Game 6 and then melted down at home.

It’ll be a summer of “what ifs” for Nuggets fans, while the Minnesota faithful will feel good about the run their team made once the sting wears off.

Still, they won’t have a parade this year, unlike the Nuggets who finished the job in 2023. Denver’s new rivals came up woefully short after dethroning the champs.

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