The Denver Nuggets’ halftime adjustments in Game 1 on Saturday spurred them to a 116-105 win over Minnesota. Now, it’s the visiting Timberwolves’ turn to adjust for Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series on Monday night.

Minnesota missed 14 of its first 16 shots in the third quarter, when Denver built a 15-point lead. The Timberwolves cut it to 97-95 in the fourth quarter, but two turnovers contributed to a Nuggets’ run that put it away.

It is only one game, and No. 6 Minnesota has an opportunity to steal one from No. 3 Denver before heading home for Games 3 and 4.

“No one wants to have a moral victory, but we understand we had every opportunity to win that game and down the stretch, we cut it to two,” Ayo Dosunmu said. “We just have to be better.”

Composure and the ability to defend without fouling will be vital if the Timberwolves want to even the series. Jaden McDaniels hit a turnaround jumper that ended a Minnesota drought in the third quarter, and then drew a technical for pushing Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in the back after the bucket.

The Timberwolves had 25 personal fouls that led to 33 free-throw attempts for Denver, 16 by Jamal Murray. He didn’t miss from the line, and the Nuggets missed just three overall.

Minnesota’s chances to pull off the upset in the series hinge on star guard Anthony Edwards. He missed 11 of the final 14 games of the regular season due to a balky right knee, and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said Edwards looked “rusty” Saturday.

Edwards acknowledged he struggled.

“I haven’t played in like a month, month and a half, so, I was a little fatigued,” he said despite tallying 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

Denver is hoping to get fully healthy for the rest of the series if forward Peyton Watson can return from a right hamstring strain. Watson has not played since aggravating the hamstring injury on April 1. He initially sustained the injury Feb. 4 and missed more than six weeks.

The Nuggets do have Jokic and Murray healthy, and they were a force in Game 1. Jokic recorded the 22nd triple-double of his playoff career, and Murray scored 30 points despite going 7-for-22 from the field. He did most of his damage from the line and disputed Minnesota’s grumblings in the disparity of foul calls.

“I thought I got fouled on every single one of them. I don’t know what everybody is talking about,” Murray said. “They were real fouls.”

Denver has been on a roll since losing to Memphis on March 18. The Nuggets won their final 12 games of the regular season to overtake the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed and secure a third playoff meeting in four years against the Timberwolves to build on a budding rivalry.

“I think some people say it’s the same teams. I don’t think it’s the same teams,” Jokic said. “People are more experienced, different players. One player can change the whole situation, the whole rotation, the whole momentum of the team.”

–Field Level Media

If Nashville SC intend to extend their lead atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a win against host Atlanta United on Saturday night, they might have to do it without their leading scorer for a second straight match.

Sam Surridge was sidelined with a hamstring injury on Tuesday when Nashville (5-1-1, 16 points) defeated Liga MX side Club America 1-0 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal tie and secured passage to the semifinals. The Englishman, tied atop the MLS leaderboard with seven goals, is questionable for Saturday.

“He’s made some good progress … and so, right now, it’s just (him having to) clear a few hurdles with medical and performance to see if we can get him ready for (Atlanta),” Nashville head coach BJ Callaghan said.

Though Atlanta (1-5-1, 4 points) ranks near the bottom of the East, Callaghan does not take the latest chapter in the clubs’ Southeastern derby lightly.

“It doesn’t matter where anybody is on the table. The table doesn’t really matter this early in the season, anyway,” Callaghan said. “They’re going to bring out their best. We’ve had good games in the past (during) the history of both clubs, so the expectation is going to be nothing short of that.”

Atlanta United defeated Chattanooga FC 3-1 on Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32, snapping a three-match losing streak across all competitions (0-2-1).

Atlanta has won just once in MLS play, but it can gain momentum with a positive result against Nashville in front of a home crowd.

“The poor results are something we can resolve before the World Cup break, but it’s also important to confidence and the emotional state of the team,” Atlanta head coach Tata Martino said through an interpreter. “What we also have to work on is not just trying to solve the results, but (improving the) confidence and emotional state of the team.”

The Five Stripes will be without Miguel Almiron (knee irritation) for up to two weeks after he felt leg discomfort during the match against Chattanooga. Steven Alzate (adductor) will be unavailable as well.

Nashville and Atlanta are deadlocked at 4-4-5 in their 13 previous regular-season matches.

–Field Level Media

A massive opportunity to right the ship awaits FC Cincinnati Saturday night when they host the Chicago Fire.

Cincinnati (2-4-1, 7 points) has struggled mightily since winning its season opener. It has been plagued by a sluggish offense and a suspect defense, with its minus-6 goal differential tied for third-worst in the Eastern Conference. To be fair, a 6-1 drubbing on March 15 at New England represents most of that goal differential.

“It’s been inconsistent,” head coach Pat Noonan said about his team’s performance. “We just need to be more consistent with our play, home and away. We just need to be better all-around in our play, wherever we’re playing.”

Kevin Denkey will not play for Cincinnati Saturday night. He is suspended after a red card in Cincinnati’s previous match, a 1-1 draw against Toronto on April 11. Denkey leads Cincinnati with two goals, but it feels far removed from when he and Evander combined for 33 MLS goals for Cincinnati in 2025.

FC Cincinnati are 2-1-0 at home in MLS regular-season competition, and this is their first home match since March 22. They will play four home matches in the next five weeks.

Chicago (4-2-1, 13 points), currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, is off to a strong start in building on its long-awaited return to the MLS Cup playoffs a year ago.

“Since the beginning of the season, we have always shown that we have something to prove this year,” midfielder Mauricio Pineda said. “That’s what really keeps us driving: approaching every game with the mentality to win.”

The Fire are on a three-match winning streak, and this is their only road match in a six-match span stretching from April 4 through May 9.

Hugo Cuypers leads the Fire with four goals, with Jonathan Bamba next at two goals.

Cincinnati leads the all-time series 7-4-3 and swept the series in 2025. The teams will play their return match on May 2 in Chicago.

–Field Level Media