Timberwolves Even Series With Nuggets as West Playoff Picture Gets More Interesting

In a top-heavy Western Conference, two of the four opening-round matchups still feel like relative formalities. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are both expected to handle business against the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively. But the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets series and the Denver Nuggets-Minnesota Timberwolves series feel very different.

Those are the two matchups that looked like true toss-ups entering the playoffs, and through the first few games, that still looks accurate. That was especially reinforced Monday night when the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets 119-114 in Denver to even the series at 1-1.

After Denver got an emphatic Game 1 win and briefly looked like it might seize control, Minnesota answered right back in Game 2 and completely changed the tone of the series. Instead of heading home in an 0-2 hole, the Timberwolves now go back to Target Center with the series tied and real momentum on their side. That is a huge swing in a matchup that already felt like it could go either way.

It also matters because of the way the schedule now sets up. With the series even, Minnesota has taken back some control, and the pressure shifts right back onto Denver. What could have quickly turned into a series where the Nuggets were dictating everything now looks wide open again.

That is what makes the West so fascinating right now. Oklahoma City and San Antonio may still look like the safest bets to advance, but the other two series feel much more volatile. The Lakers already gave the Rockets a surprise punch in Game 1, and now the Timberwolves have answered Denver to avoid falling behind 0-2.

As the Western Conference playoffs continue to unfold, those two series increasingly look like the most compelling ones on the board. And for Minnesota, Monday night was about more than just one win. It was about proving this series is very much alive.