The scouting report on Minnesota can be as technically complex as the Nuggets want it to be. But one assistant coach is struck by a more rudimentary pattern these days. Andrew Munson, who piloted Denver’s Summer League team last year and operates as Michael Malone’s special assistant, has purpor tedly spotted it on film. “He says it after every time we play them,” Malone shared Monday. “He goes, ‘I’ve watched their last five-to-seven games, and they never play as hard as they do against us.’ And you can sense that. You can notice it. So you can throw everything else out the window.” Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards basically confirmed as much after the most recent matchup, which Minnesota won by 20 at Ball Arena. Nursing a five-game head-to-head losing streak that dates back to the 2024 playoffs, Malone and the Nuggets (47-28) have one last chance to avenge themselves this season when the Wolves visit on Tuesday (8 p.m., TNT). One last chance on paper, that is. Nuggets guard Christian Braun addressed the elephant in the gym when he described Minnesota as “a team that we could play in the playoffs and probably will play in the playoffs.” Indeed, Denver began the week with a 66.6% chance of finishing as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, according to Basketball Reference’s playoff probabilities. That would entail facing the No. 6 seed in the first round. Minnesota has the highest chance of finishing in that slot at 30.9%, followed by the Warriors (19%) and Grizzlies (17.2%). It would be the third playoff series in as many years between the division foes. The Nuggets prevailed in the first round back in 2023. Minnesota left them speechless in 2024 with a 20-point Game 7 comeback that persists as the root of Denver’s struggles. “It’s easy to say, ‘We’ve gotta do something different.’ Well, we also just have to play a hell of a lot harder,” Malone said. “I think they’ve approached these games like it’s a rivalry. And I think we’ve approached these games like it’s another game sometimes.” As Malone pointed out after a brief practice Monday, the Nuggets have allowed 105 combined points off turnovers and offensive rebounds in the last two losses, accounting for 42.3% of Minnesota’s points in a pair of blowouts. They’ve also had their hands full with Edwards, whose individual splits against Denver are among his best in any matchup this season. In three games so far, he’s averaging 30.7 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 51.5% from the floor and 44.1% from 3-point range. Related Articles Nuggets Journal: NHL playoff format gets all the hate, rightfully. But what if NBA was seeded 1 to 16? Peyton Watson continues to show he can be stopper for Nuggets: “I’m a gamer. I’m a riser” Nikola Jokic flicks one-handed highlight in Nuggets’ blowout win over Jazz Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic on leg injury that sidelined him five games: “It was really painful” Nikola Jokic returns, posts triple-double as Nuggets hold off Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo It was he who called this a rivalry in March, lending credibility to the observation shared by Malone and Munson. If the Timberwolves are approaching these games like the Nuggets are their rivals, then, does that mean the matchup has officially earned that title? Malone has long been reluctant to label rivalries throughout his Denver tenure, and sure enough, he still wouldn’t go that far Monday when asked head-on. “We’ve just gotta play hard. Whether it’s a rivalry or not,” he said. “I don’t care who you’re playing, (if) you’re playing St. Buzzy’s. They beat you five times in a row. Sometimes your pride’s gotta kick in, and not allow somebody to come into your house and continue to kick your (butt).” Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis. ...read more read less