The only team that is undefeated thus far in the NBA Playoffs will be on its home court tonight (Friday) when the Minnesota Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets at Target Center in Minneapolis.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. with play-by-play announcer Mark Jones, color analyst Tim Legler and sideline reporter Angel Gray.
Minnesota leads the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series 2-0. The Wolves beat the Nuggets 106-80 in Game 2 on Monday after winning the opening game 106-99.
In Game 2, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points apiece for Minnesota.
Game 4 will be at Target Center at 7 p.m. Sunday and will be shown on TNT.
Other notes
The Wolves have won six straight playoff games, the longest streak in team history. The previous record was two.
Minnesota has tied the NBA Playoff record for consecutive wins to start a playoff run for a No. 3 seed, tying the 2004 San Antonio Spurs and the 2020 Boston Celtics.
The Wolves led by as many as 32 points in Game 2 at Denver, the biggest lead in franchise playoff history.
Minnesota led 61-35 at halftime of Game 2, marking the largest halftime lead against a defending champion since the Cleveland Cavaliers led the Chicago Bulls 59-33 in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 1992.
With their Game 2 win at Denver, the Wolves became the 34th team in NBA history to win the first two games of a series on the road. Of the previous 33 teams that did so, 28 went on to win the series.
Minnesota is the sixth Western Conference team since 2000 to win their first four road playoff games. Of the previous five teams to do so, four went on to win the NBA title.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 season by members of the media. He’s the ninth player in NBA history to win the award three or more times (see list below). Jokic is the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average at least 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for a single season.
3-time MVPs
Here the list of players who have won the award for the NBA's Most Valuable Player at least three times:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
Michael Jordan (5)
Bill Russell (5)
LeBron James (4)
Wilt Chamberlain (4)
Nikola Jokic (3)
Larry Bird (3)
Magic Johnson (3)
Moses Malone (3)
NBA PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND
(Minnesota leads series 2-0)
Game 1: Saturday, May 4: Minnesota Timberwolves 106, Denver Nuggets 99
Game 2: Monday, May 6: Minnesota Timberwolves 106, Denver Nuggets 80
Game 3: Friday, May 10 at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Sunday, May 12 at Minnesota, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, May 14 at Denver, TBD, TBD*
Game 6: Thursday, May 16 at Minnesota, TBD, TBD*
Game 7: Sunday, May 19 at Denver, TBD, TBD*
*If necessary
NBA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND
(Minnesota wins series 4-0)
Game 1: Saturday, May 4: Minnesota Timberwolves 122, Phoenix Suns 116
Game 2: Monday, May 6: Minnesota Timberwolves 105, Phoenix Suns 93
Game 3: Friday, May 10: Minnesota Timberwolves 126, Phoenix Suns 109
Game 4: Sunday, May 12: Minnesota Timberwolves 122, Phoenix Suns 116