The Minnesota Timberwolves have advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals after defeating the Denver Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6, winning the series 4-2. They will now face the San Antonio Spurs.
The game was tightly contested, with the Timberwolves holding a 57-50 lead at halftime. Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP, scored 14 points in the third quarter to narrow the gap and set up a thrilling finish. Jokic finished with 28 points and 10 assists, but his performance was marred by a confrontation with Timberwolves guard Jaylen Clark late in the fourth quarter. Both players, along with Minnesota's Naz Reid, received technical fouls for their involvement. This incident came after Jokic was ejected for instigating a scuffle at the end of Game 4. Following the loss, Jokic admitted, "I needed to play better. I must play better."
Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves with a career-high 32 points. Minnesota may also see the return of Anthony Edwards from injury for Monday's series opener against the Spurs.
In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks demolished the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 to win their series 4-2. The 51-point margin set a franchise playoff record, and their 47-point halftime lead was the largest in NBA postseason history. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, while OG Anunoby led all scorers with 29 points. The Knicks have reached the semi-finals for the fourth straight year and will face either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points and Paul George added 23 as the 76ers won Game 6 against Boston 106-93, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Boston on Saturday.