Timberwolves Knock Out Nuggets, Knicks Deliver Historic 51-Point Rout of Hawks

The Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets with a 110-98 Game 6 victory, advancing to the Western Conference semifinals despite playing without four key contributors. In the East, the New York Knicks dismantled the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 in the largest postseason blowout in franchise history, securing their fourth consecutive conference semifinals appearance.

The Details

Minnesota closed out the series 4-2 without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kyle Anderson, according to Yahoo Sports and Al Jazeera. The shorthanded Timberwolves leaned on Jaden McDaniels, who scored 32 points, and Terrence Shannon Jr., who added 24, to power the win. Denver stayed competitive through much of the contest before Minnesota pulled away with a decisive 10-1 run late in the game, Al Jazeera reported.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 points but could not rescue Denver from elimination. Jokic was candid in his postgame assessment. "I needed to play better. I must play better," he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Minnesota coach Chris Finch was measured in his celebration. "It's a great night. It's a great victory for us. Hopefully ... we've got 12 more to go," Finch said, per Al Jazeera. He added that the Timberwolves entered the postseason with broader ambitions: "We came into these playoffs not trying to beat Denver, but trying to win a championship."

The Timberwolves entered the series as the No. 6 seed against the No. 3 seed Nuggets, making their 4-2 series win an upset by seeding, according to Al Jazeera and WHBL. Minnesota will next face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference second round.

In New York, the Knicks set a different kind of record. Their 140-89 victory over Atlanta produced a 51-point margin — the largest in Knicks postseason history — and an 83-36 halftime lead reported by Al Jazeera and Yahoo Sports as the widest in NBA playoff history. New York took the series 4-2 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the fourth year in a row.

OG Anunoby carried the offensive load, scoring 29 points with 26 of those coming in the first half, according to Al Jazeera and WHBL. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Towns reflected on the performance afterward. "We can't just meet the moment, we've got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight," he said, per Al Jazeera.

New York's path to the closeout was not straightforward. The Knicks had trailed Atlanta 2-1 in the series before winning the final three games to advance, according to Al Jazeera.

Context

Minnesota's series victory over Denver completes an upset by seeding, with the No. 6 Timberwolves defeating the No. 3 Nuggets in six games despite significant injury attrition, according to Al Jazeera and WHBL. The absences of Edwards and three other contributors forced Minnesota to rely on McDaniels and Shannon as primary scorers — a challenge the team handled decisively in the clinching game.

The Knicks' dominant close mirrors a broader trend in their postseason tenure. New York has now reached the Eastern Conference semifinals four straight years, according to Yahoo Sports and Al Jazeera. The 51-point margin of victory and the reported record halftime lead underscore how completely they controlled Game 6 against a Hawks team that had earlier led the series two games to one.

Elsewhere in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 106-93 to force a Game 7, leveling their series at 3-3, according to Al Jazeera, Yahoo Sports, and WHBL. The Celtics had led the series 3-1 before Philadelphia won back-to-back games to force the deciding contest in Boston. Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points for the 76ers, Paul George added 23, and Joel Embiid finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, per Yahoo Sports.

What's Next

The Timberwolves will face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.

Philadelphia and Boston will meet in a Game 7 in Boston, according to Al Jazeera, Yahoo Sports, and WHBL. The winner advances to the Eastern Conference second round.