Denver Nuggets Announce First Round NBA Playoffs Schedule

The Nuggets will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:38pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game in a fractured, geometric style, with overlapping planes of color and shape representing the action on the court.The upcoming first-round playoff matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves promises an intense, high-stakes clash between two Western Conference powerhouses.Denver Today

The Denver Nuggets have released their schedule for the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where they will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The series will begin on Saturday afternoon at Ball Arena in Denver, with subsequent games scheduled for Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Why it matters

The Nuggets are looking to avenge their second-round playoff loss to the Timberwolves two seasons ago, and they enter the postseason on a hot streak, having won 12 straight games to close out the regular season.

The details

The Nuggets, the No. 3 seed, will host the Timberwolves, the No. 6 seed, for the first two games of the series. Game 1 is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time on Prime Video, while Game 2 will be on Monday at 8:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock. The series will then shift to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 at the Target Center. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time on Prime Video, and Game 4 will be on Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

  • The series begins on Saturday, April 19 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
  • Game 2 is on Monday, April 21 at 8:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
  • Game 3 is on Thursday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
  • Game 4 is on Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

The players

Denver Nuggets

The No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets are looking to make a deep playoff run after a strong regular season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs two seasons ago.

Christian Braun

A guard for the Denver Nuggets who is confident in his team's chances after their strong finish to the regular season.

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What they’re saying

“The more healthy we get, the more confident we get, and I think practice had a really good start. The focus has been good.”

— Christian Braun, Nuggets Guard

“the Nuggets are also hot at the right time, having won 12 straight to finish out the regular season.”

— John Gonzalez, CBS Sports Writer

What’s next

If necessary, Game 5 would take place at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday April 27, Game 6 would take place at the Target Center in Minnesota on Thursday, April 30, and Game 7 would take place on Saturday, May 2 in Denver. The start times and broadcasters for those games have yet to be announced.

The takeaway

The Nuggets enter the playoffs with momentum after a strong finish to the regular season, but they will be looking to avenge their previous playoff loss to the Timberwolves. The first-round series should be a closely contested matchup between two talented Western Conference teams.