There’s nothing like kicking preseason action off with a Western Conference rivalry. Both the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves are hoping to make deep playoff runs in the 2025-26 season, with a Larry O’Brien at the end. But it has to start somewhere.
The Nuggets are set as three-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -148 on the Moneyline, while the Timberwolves are +124 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 220 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction, and pick for this Nuggets vs. Timberwolves preseason game.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves prediction, preview
Both teams have a clean bill of health for this contest, which gives us the chance to see what their new squads look like. Minnesota had to say goodbye to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a key rotation piece who departed for Atlanta. But they did keep some key pieces, re-signing Julius Randle and Naz Reid to long-term extensions. This is also a better chance to see what Joan Beringer, their first-round pick, can do against real NBA competition after an exciting Summer League.
Denver has a lot of offseason transactions to evaluate in the preseason. First and foremost is Cam Johnson, who was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets for Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick. An essential piece of the 2021 Phoenix Suns team that made the Finals, Johnson replaces MPJ’s shooting talent while upgrading significantly on his defense. It’s a big move that Denver sorely needed.
They also did well to shore up the bench. The Nuggets traded for Jonas Valanciunas to give Nikola Jokic a legitimate backup and signed the duo of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown to reduce their dependence on Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson for rotation minutes. On top of that, DaRon Holmes II is finally healthy after a torn Achilles tendon cost him his rookie season. This has the potential to be the deepest Nuggets squad of the Jokic era.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves pick, best bet
Preseason can be wacky, but I think this game will be a glimpse into the gap between the two teams. Salary cap pressure took its toll on Minnesota this offseason and they had to tread water. Meanwhile, Denver took big swings to improve their team while shoring up their bench unit.
With both squads fully healthy, Denver will showcase its quality and dispatch the Timberwolves.
