The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a razor-thin victory over the Denver Nuggets in their preseason opener on Friday night, edging out a 140-139 win that had fans on the edge of their seats right until the final buzzer. It was one of those games where every possession felt like it could swing the momentum, and indeed, the Timberwolves capitalized on Denver's late-game miscues to secure the triumph. Anthony Edwards led the charge with his explosive scoring, dropping 28 points in a performance that reminded everyone why he's the cornerstone of this young squad.
However, the Nuggets weren't without their highlights. Nikola Jokić, nursing a bit of wrist soreness but still suiting up, orchestrated the offense masterfully, nearly dragging his team back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter. He finished with 32 points and 12 assists, but a controversial foul call in the closing seconds sealed Denver's fate. This marks the second straight close loss for the Nuggets against Minnesota this year, following that heartbreaker on April 1 where the Timberwolves also prevailed by a single point.
Injury concerns lingered over both benches throughout the matchup. For Denver, Jokić's status was questionable leading up, and now questions swirl about his availability for the next preseason tilt. Minnesota, meanwhile, managed to keep most of their key rotation players healthy, though Julius Randle sat out with a minor ankle tweak from practice. The game itself showcased the ongoing rivalry's intensity—these two teams have split their last five encounters, with the Timberwolves holding a slight 3-2 edge. Moreover, Denver's defense, often a strength under Michael Malone, looked a step slow, allowing Minnesota to shoot an impressive 52% from the field.
Indeed, as the regular season looms just weeks away, this matchup highlighted areas for improvement on both sides. The Nuggets will need to tighten up their perimeter defense if they aim to repeat as contenders, while the Timberwolves' depth seems more promising than last year. Still, preseason results like this one often fade into the background once the real games begin—what does this say about the Western Conference's brutal parity moving forward?