Jamal Murray finishes through a defender for an and-1 (0:19)
Nuggets’ Jamal Murray makes an impressive shot while getting fouled. (0:19)
Apr 18, 2026, 06:23 PM ET
The 2026 NBA playoffs began Saturday, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game in the march to the Finals.
The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves kicked things off for the Western Conference on Saturday. Jamal Murray, who was a first-time All-Star this season, led all players with 30 points to help the Nuggets take a 1-0 lead. Nikola Jokic added 25 points of his own despite a slow first half. Anthony Edwards kept the Wolves in the game with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough.
The Houston Rockets visit the Los Angeles Lakers for the day’s final game, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Lakers have had to finish the season behind LeBron James after losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to injuries indefinitely. But the Rockets may also be without a star. On Friday, Kevin Durant was listed as questionable with a knee contusion.
More coverage:
East takeaways | Schedules and results | Offseason guides
(3) Denver Nuggets lead (6) Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0
Game 1: Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105
What we learned from Game 1:
Playoff Jamal Murray launched early this year. In years past Murray came up with big games or big shots when the Nuggets had fallen into a hole or needed some heroics. This year, Murray came out of the gates in peak form, propelling Denver with 30 points, seven assists and five rebounds on a remarkable 16-for-16 from the free throw line. Denver needed every one of those points as Aaron Gordon got into early foul trouble and Nikola Jokic started slow with just six points in the first half. Jokic got on track in the second half, finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his 22nd postseason triple-double, third most in NBA history behind Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28).
Denver broke open the game with a 14-0 run in the third quarter, during which Minnesota missed nine straight field goal attempts. Anthony Edwards was on the bench for the end of that run as Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch tried to get him some rest before the fourth quarter. Edwards is still managing pain in his right knee and will be doing so for as long as the season continues. He finished with a pedestrian-for-him 22 points in 37 minutes. — Ramona Shelburne
Game 2: Timberwolves at Nuggets (Monday, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
What to watch for Game 2:
These two teams have played more times than any two teams in the league the past three seasons. With the win in Game 1, the Nuggets now have a 15-14 advantage. That past is prologue to everything that happens in this series, and yet it is still a fascinating chess match to behold.
Minnesota has to use its length and athleticism to do a better job of containing Murray on the perimeter — without fouling. His 16 free throws are a Denver postseason record (the entire Minnesota team shot 19 free throws), which is both a reflection of his aggressiveness and the way the game was officiated. That dynamic has been a major point of contention throughout this rivalry and it noticeably affects the results each game. It’ll be interesting to see whether that changes in Game 2, because the Timberwolves did well in virtually all the other facets of the game in which they usually thrive — finishing with 54 points in the paint. — Shelburne
