The healthy Minnesota Timberwolves had been a buzzsaw ever since Julius Randle returned from injury. Between a starting lineup finally coalescing and an embarrassment of riches off the bench, the Wolves were setting themselves up for a rise in the Western Conference playoff standings.

It is only fitting for them to face the two seed Denver Nuggets, the team whose season they ended in a dramatic game seven comeback last year, the team that they had won ten straight against and, most notably, the team they have been tied to ever since the 2018 game 82 instant classic.

The game started with a first quarter that saw the Wolves leading by eight, limiting the Aaron-Gordon-less Nuggets to 26 points in the period. It was fast break points and hot shooting from Donte Divincenzo that established that start.

Funny enough, it was a run in the second quarter that started with Jokic on the bench that led Wolves Twitter to panic. What started as an unexpected stemming of bleeding at a -2 Jokic-less stretch became an 8-0 run that brought the game back into reach. From there on out, the second quarter simply became a full-on shootout.

The attack for the Wolves in the first half was a balanced attack. Conversely, the Nuggets seemed to only have Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic against the world. It would end up being a nine-point Wolves lead at intermission.

A 7-0 run was resisted by a pair of Jaden McDaniels threes. A Mike Conley floater was matched by a Jokic three. It was seemingly that type of game. Anytime the Nuggets would start a comeback, the Wolves would find a few well-timed buckets. Whenever the Wolves started to pull away, the Nuggets defense would lock in to pull them back down to earth. Still, the lead sat at 14 going into the fourth.

So, why go into depth on each quarter, step by step, in this recap? Well, the whole focus of this recap should be this:

The Wolves are back. They are a good team. All of us who looked at Randle as a trade deadline dump candidate were not just wrong, but actively idiotic, it seems.

15 games to go in the season, and the Wolves are CLEARLY playing their best basketball of the season.

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 13, 2025

Dane says it perfectly. This team is hitting its mark at the perfect time. The hope is, with their last 15 games largely facing bad teams, that they can make it out of the play-in.

Before we get there, however, we need to take a quick glance at what worked (lots of stuff) and what didn’t (not a whole lot).

The Young Guys Go Back Under Ice

This is just personally disappointing. It makes sense that the return of Donte Divincenzo, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert would mean there were fewer minutes to go around. It makes sense that Finch prefers a shortened rotation that gives his best players the most run. It all makes sense.

However, I cannot overstate how much I miss seeing Jaylen Clark in the rotation. His time will come, as will TJ Shannon’s, but it’s just sad to see the energy and joy they brought be reserved for the bench.

Jaylen Clark in particular is a player I would be sad to see in a full-time reserve role. Clark is the logical replacement for Nickeil Alexander-Walker if the free agent forward leaves in the summer. NAW got his chance to be a rotation player in the playoffs two years ago. I’d like for Clark to get the same opportunity.

It’s All About the Matchups

The Wolves have now beaten the Nuggets in each of their three meeting this year. They are 10-4 against Denver in their last 14 matchups. The last time the Nuggets won consecutive games against the Wolves was in 2021.

Considering that the Wolves currently sit in seventh, and the Nuggets in second, there is a chance that tonight’s opponent could be a playoff enemy for a third year in a row.

And while facing an MVP level player like Nikola Jokic is never a preferred option, the Wolves clearly play the Serbian big better than any other team can hope to. Additionally, it seems like Jamal Murray can only overcome the Wolves’ gauntlet of defenders for quarters at a time.

Despite an absent Aaron Gordon, it does feel like this team just cannot find the code to break Minnesota’s defense. Jokic had four turnovers in the first quarter. He had what feels like a paltry four assists. He was a -24! In 38 minutes!!

It was a drubbing, a beatdown, however you want to call it. This matchup is one the Wolves will continue to look forward to until they are beaten at it.

Randle Apology Form

Look, I needed to sign it and I’m pretty sure most of you need to as well. Enjoy the win tonight, Wolves fans.

Up Next

The Timberwolves return home for a five-game homestand, tied for their longest string of games at Target Center this season. The first one comes on Friday against the Orlando Magic. The game begins at 7:00 PM CT, airing on FanDuel Sports Network.

Game Highlights