Timberwolves continue to have Nuggets' number

Minnesota led for the entire game Wednesday night on its way to a comfortable 115-95 win over the Nuggets. It was its fifth straight win over Denver, a streak that began with a 45-point blowout in Game 6 of last year's series. The Timberwolves came back from a 20-point second-half deficit to win Game 7, then won a close game and two blowouts this season.

One way the Timberwolves have thwarted the Nuggets is by shutting down their second scorer, Jamal Murray. On Wednesday, Murray had 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting, going 0-of-7 in the first half. He had a six-point first half before leaving due to the concussion protocol in the teams' first meeting this season. In the playoff series, Murray shot just 40 percent.

Minnesota's solid defense lets it guard Nikola Jokic without overhelping. Jokic scored 34 points, but he had only four assists, well under his season average of 10.4. The Nuggets lacked their usual open looks from behind the arc, shooting 7-of-30 on three-pointers, perhaps why Jokic tried to push the pace to get transition buckets.

On the offensive side, Anthony Edwards is averaging 31.3 points against Denver this season and shooting 51.5 percent, with a 43.3 percent mark on three-pointers. He'd shot well in the past, but this season, Edwards has jacked up his three-point volume without losing accuracy.

Minnesota is virtually even with the Golden State Warriors for sixth place in the West and the final guaranteed playoff spot. But beyond avoiding the play-in tournament, its priority should be to seek out a first-round matchup with the Nuggets.