The 2026 NBA Playoffs were supposed to be the season when Denver showed it was ready to contend again. Nikola Jokić had completed another MVP-calibre regular season, his fourth straight at that level, and the roster around him had been adjusted with the postseason in mind. As the third seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets entered their series against the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves as sportsbook favourites and as a popular pick to reach at least the Conference Finals. After six games, however, they are out of the playoffs. Minnesota closed out the series 4-2 with a 110-98 Game 6 win on Sunday in Minneapolis, and the result has forced the league to reconsider both teams. The Timberwolves did not win simply because Anthony Edwards carried them. He was limited late in the series after suffering a hyperextended knee in Game 5. They also did not win because Jokić struggled, since he averaged 24 points, nearly 13 rebounds and more than 9 assists. They won because their bench, defense and coaching consistently gave Denver problems in the most important parts of the series.
Why Did the Nuggets Lose to the Timberwolves?
The simple explanation, that Minnesota took the series because it had better star power, does not hold up when you look at the box scores. The real turning point came in Game 4 in Minneapolis, which quickly became known as the “Ayo Dosunmu Game.” With Edwards already limited and Donte DiVincenzo out for the playoffs after rupturing his Achilles earlier in the series, Dosunmu came off the bench and scored 43 points on 13-of-17 shooting. He went 5-of-5 from three and 12-of-12 from the line. It was only the fourth time in NBA playoff history that a bench player scored 40 or more points in a postseason game. Minnesota’s bench outscored Denver’s 76-16 that night. That number explains as much as anything why the series turned. The games continued after that, but Denver never fully recovered from the gap in depth that Game 4 exposed. Denver’s problem was structural, even when Minnesota’s stars were available. Rudy Gobert was the most difficult defender Jokić had faced in years throughout the series. In Game 2 alone, Gobert contested Jokić eight times and held him to 1-of-8 shooting in those possessions. His presence pushed Denver into a more perimeter-heavy offense, which has often been a problem for the Nuggets in playoff settings. When Gobert went to the bench, Jokić found more room. When Gobert returned, Denver had to search for another answer. They never quite found one.
Another important factor was Julius Randle’s role as a secondary creator. Randle averaged 18.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the series, giving Minnesota another player who could force Denver’s defense to make decisions. That mattered when Edwards was limited and when the Timberwolves needed someone other than their lead guards to organize the offense. Coach Chris Finch’s decision to use Randle in middle pick-and-roll actions, especially with Naz Reid as the screener after his ankle scare passed, gave Minnesota a reliable half-court option when its main scorers were not fully available. That kind of adjustment often matters more in the playoffs than it does during the regular season, and Denver did not have a similar response.
Jokić’s Numbers Hide Denver’s Real Issue
Jokić’s production in this series will still look strong in the historical record. He recorded another triple-double in Game 5 with 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds, and he finished the series averaging close to a triple-double. The numbers were not the problem. The problem is how much Denver now needs from Jokić to win a playoff series. He is asked to score, pass, defend in space, protect the rim, organize late-game offense and read every defensive coverage in real time. Only a small group of players in league history have been able to carry that kind of load through an entire postseason. He is doing it on a team where Jamal Murray’s perimeter shooting can disappear for long stretches, where the bench can struggle badly on the road, and where the secondary defenders do not always hold up against top-level athletes off the dribble. When everything works for Denver, with Murray making shots, the role players staying organized and the transition defense holding together, the Nuggets still look like a championship-level team. The 2023 title showed that clearly. But Jokić cannot cover every weakness by himself, and Minnesota found several ways to test Denver across the series. That is what the box scores show, even if the main headlines focus on Jokić’s individual play.
What Minnesota Did Differently
The Timberwolves entered this postseason as a talented team that still had questions to answer. Their recent playoff appearances had not yet produced a series win that changed how the league viewed the roster. Three things stood out about Minnesota’s approach. First, its plan for defending Jokić was more organized than what many of Denver’s previous opponents had managed. Gobert was the starting point, but the work of the secondary defenders also mattered. Jaden McDaniels, in particular, helped limit Jokić’s catches in the high post, where he usually controls Denver’s offense. McDaniels’ trash talk drew attention during the series, but the more important point was that his defense backed it up. He posted one of the strongest defensive impact marks among wings in the first round. Second, Minnesota’s offense held up better than expected when its stars were not fully available. Losing DiVincenzo to a season-ending Achilles injury and then seeing Edwards deal with a hyperextended knee could have ended the series for the Timberwolves. Instead, Dosunmu, Randle, Reid and the rest of the rotation produced enough offense to keep Minnesota in control. That was not just a matter of good fortune. It reflected roster depth, preparation and coaching. Third, the Timberwolves handled the home-court swings with composure. The 2-2-1-1-1 format rewards teams that can steal a road game early, and Minnesota’s Game 2 win in Denver set the tone for the series. Gobert’s defense was central to that result. By the time Denver started finding better ways to attack Minnesota’s system, the Timberwolves already had a 3-1 lead.
How the 2026 Western Conference Bracket Is Reshaping
Denver’s elimination changes more than one series. It changes the broader Western Conference picture. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the top seed and defending champions, swept Phoenix 4-0. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.8 points per game on strong efficiency, and Oklahoma City looks every bit like the title contender it was expected to be. San Antonio also made a statement by beating Portland 4-1. Wemby had 14 rebounds and six blocks in the closeout game, even though he took only seven shots. That performance showed how much of an issue the Spurs can be defensively. With De’Aaron Fox providing speed and experience in the backcourt and Wembanyama giving San Antonio a defensive ceiling that few teams can match, the Spurs have become one of the most difficult teams to prepare for in the bracket. The Lakers and Rockets are tied 3-2 heading into Game 6, and that series has become the bracket’s wild card. The series shifted for Los Angeles once Kevin Durant returned from his knee injury, but Houston answered in Games 4 and 5 with wins by 19 and 7 points. That response has put the Lakers’ season under real pressure. Minnesota, meanwhile, has just shown it can win a playoff series with its two top perimeter players either limited or unavailable. Whether that carries into the second round depends largely on Edwards’ knee and how close he is to full strength. Without him, even a series against a banged-up Lakers or Rockets team would be difficult to predict. With him available, Minnesota looks like a team that has already handled one of the tougher challenges it could face. The numbers reflect the same shift. Since Denver’s elimination, Western Conference futures have already moved. Oklahoma City’s championship odds have improved, and Minnesota’s price against its next opponent has shifted more than many public forecasting models expected. Markets often react quickly to injury news, matchup changes and major playoff results, so even for fans who do not bet, the second-round numbers can offer a useful snapshot of how the league is being evaluated. The same applies to MVP and Finals MVP futures, which usually adjust within hours of major postseason outcomes.
What’s Next for the Denver Nuggets?
Denver now enters an offseason with clear and difficult questions. The supporting cast around Jokić has been a concern for two seasons, and this series reinforced that issue. The front office’s task is direct. Denver needs a secondary creator who can stabilize the offense when Murray’s shot is not falling, and it needs at least one perimeter defender who can handle multiple assignments in playoff matchups. Both needs require roster flexibility, and Denver’s salary situation does not make that easy. A trade involving someone from the current rotation now appears to be the most realistic path. Michael Porter Jr. will likely be one of the names discussed, as he has already been mentioned in league circles for more than a year. If Denver decides to seriously explore that kind of move, it could shape the next several seasons. The harder question is philosophical. Jokić is 31. He remains in his prime, but he is no longer at the beginning of it. Denver’s window to win a second title with this core is narrowing, and the Western Conference is getting stronger. Oklahoma City has built a roster that could contend for years. San Antonio has Wemby. Houston has a young core that has pushed the Lakers to the edge. Minnesota just showed what it can do even without its top two perimeter players at full strength. Denver cannot afford to wait too long.
What’s Next for Minnesota and the West?
The next round of the Western Conference playoffs begins later this week, with Oklahoma City already through and waiting on the Lakers-Rockets winner. Minnesota’s path depends heavily on Edwards’ knee. Early signs suggest he is day-to-day rather than out for an extended period, but the Timberwolves’ medical staff has been careful with playoff returns. San Antonio also looks ready for a larger stage. A Spurs-Timberwolves series could be one of the most interesting matchups of the postseason. Wemby against Gobert, Fox’s speed against Minnesota’s half-court defense, and two disciplined coaching staffs would give the series plenty of tactical depth. From a broader Western Conference perspective, Denver’s elimination removes one of the few teams that looked capable of seriously challenging Oklahoma City in a seven-game series. The Thunder are now clear favourites to return to the NBA Finals, and the second-round matchups will help decide which team has the best chance to test them in the Conference Finals. Not many teams in this bracket would have finished off Denver after losing one starter and having another star limited in the middle of a series. Minnesota did. That alone is reason to take the Timberwolves seriously, regardless of their seed in April. It should also make every other team still alive in the West consider what Minnesota might look like if even one of its injured stars returns at full strength. The 2026 NBA Playoffs were expected to focus on Oklahoma City’s title defence, San Antonio’s rise and Denver’s attempt to reload for another championship run. The first round has already changed that story. Whether the rest of the postseason follows the same pattern, or whether the Thunder restore the expected order, will define the next six weeks of basketball.