Winner takes all: Timberwolves vs. Nuggets

It all comes down to this. A trip to the playoffs with only one game left. No score watching to see what the competitor is doing in their game because your in that game. What an ending to the regular season. No need for the NBA to make a play in tournament, because we got one this year. Two teams one spot. Check out our predicitions.

The Timberwolves host the Nuggets tonight for a winner takes all game. NCAA March Madness esque with one game with stakes so high. Both teams are tied for 46 wins. The Timberwolves have a 13-year playoff drought to the Nuggets 5 year playoff drought. The Nuggets were 1 game away from making the playoffs last year and if they fail to win this game, they will yet again fall 1 game short. The Timberwolves came into the season with much higher expectations and were a top 4 team for most of the season, but the Jimmy Butler injury really set them back.

The Timberwolves have the third-best home record in the Western Conference at 29-11. The Nuggets are a subpar road team at 15-25. However, the Nuggets are red hot winning 6 straight games and 8 of their last 10. They have been fighting to remain in this position post all-star break. The Timberwolves have been struggling recently, not playing their best basketball at 6-4 in their last 10. This is going to be one great game.


Umaid: I'm going with the Nuggets. It's a hard bet to make since the Timberwolves are the third-best home team in the Western Conference. With Jimmy Butler back in the lineup and playing in Minnesota, the ball is in their court. They definitely have the upper hand. However, this is a single game and it's essentially a coin flip. I just can't turn down the Nuggets. They've been playing inspired basketball fighting for their season to stay alive. It seems they've been on the edge since the start of the season, and with them missing the playoffs by a game last season, I think they win it this time around. Both teams play offense at an elite level and aren't great defensively. The Timberwolves have been struggling recently, as they barely got by the Memphis Grizzlies who put your local YMCA starting 5 out to start the game. On the other hand, the Nuggets have been red hot, staving off elimination, essentially since March 30. Jokic is straight out balling, and the others are falling in line. They have been beating better teams like the Raps, Blazers and Thunder. Also being in this position despite Milsap being out for half the season is incredible. Gary Harris also coming back last game after an injury, should just add more firepower. I think the Nuggets will prevail, however at the end of the day it's just one game, so it's a coin toss.

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Rafat: Timberwolves. The Nuggets vs. Timberwolves will be an incredible clash as these times are fighting for a position to continue their NBA season. With such a high stake, both teams will play at full power and only one team will prosper while the other team will have to pack their bags and hit the offseason. Minnesota is coming off a 2 game win streak, and they do have momentum built up. A major factor that will play in the game is the success rate of the Nuggets as many of their wins have been on their home court. The pressure is high, and the risk of breaking down is even higher. The Timberwolves definitely do have the upper edge as Butler is average 22.0 pts, 5.3 ast, and 2.0 stl per game and through the trends, he has shown to come up during these high stake games. Star player, Nikola Jokic is going to be a huge x-factor in this game. If he rises up versus Karl-Anthony-Towns then they possibly have a chance, but at this point, the odds seem to be favouring the side of the Timberwolves. With Towns and Butler, along with homecourt advantage, I'm rolling with the Wolves.

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Jonathan: Nuggets. Sorry, Timberwolves fans, but the playoff drought is going to continue for another year. I have the Denver Nuggets winning in this all-important game tonight. I understand that the Nuggets have not been a particularly good road team and that the Timberwolves have been incredible at home. I understand that the Nuggets are not a particularly good defensive team either. All that being said, the Nuggets have been on an absolute tear lately, beating good playoff teams like the Thunder, Bucks, Pacers, Trailblazers and Timberwolves and are currently riding a 6 game winning streak. With Jimmy Butler just recently returning to action from a lengthy knee injury, it would be foolish to think that Butler would be able to have the game of his life and propel the Timberwolves to the playoffs. On the offensive end, the Nuggets are a juggernaut that cannot be stopped by the Minnesota defense, one that has a 105.75 defensive rating at home, which is below the league average. The Nuggets have the veteran presences of Richard Jefferson and Devin Harris, players who have experienced high pressured games like this one. With Jokic, Murray, Milsap, Barton, The Nuggets simply have too much firepower and will find out a way to pull out a victory in Minnesota

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There you have our predictions. Let's see what happens tonight!