Facing a 3-2 deficit against the defending champs, the Timberwolves' backs were against the wall in Game 6 of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals. Minnesota's response was nothing short of resounding.
It didn't take long for things to get ugly in Minneapolis, as the Timberwolves used an early 27-2 run to get out to a 31-14 lead in the first quarter. Minnesota never truly looked back, outscoring Denver in every quarter — including a 29-9 result in the bench-clearing final frame — to force Game 7 with a 115-70 win.
As the 45-point margin of defeat would indicate, it was a night to forget for the defending champions. The nature of the blowout is even more evident after taking a deeper look through the box score.
Here are some of the most eye-popping numbers from Minnesota's Game 6 victory.
MORE: Full list of biggest blowouts in NBA Playoffs history
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets Game 6 stats
Team stats
| Timberwolves | Nuggets | |
| Points | 115 | 70 |
| Bench points | 36 | 9 |
| Field goals | 40-86 (46.5%) | 26-86 (30.2%) |
| 3-point field goals | 15-40 (37.5%) | 7-36 (19.4%) |
| Free throws | 20-24 (83.3%) | 11-14 (78.6%) |
| Rebounds | 62 | 43 |
| Assists | 26 | 18 |
| Turnovers | 6 (3 points off) | 12 (19 points off) |
When looking at the stat comparison, the difference in offensive output jumps off the page.
Denver had an icy cold shooting night, and MVP Nikola Jokic was its most efficient player. Jokic finished with 22 points on 9-of-19 (47.3 percent) shooting from the field, but the rest of the Nuggets shot just 17 of 67 (25.4 percent).
Individual stats
Jamal Murray, who scored just 10 points on 4-of-18 (22.2 percent) shooting was a team-worst minus-32 in the box score, and Nikola Jokic was held to just two assists. It's the first time he's been posted fewer than seven assists in this year's postseason.
On Minnesota's side, Anthony Edwards led the way with 27 points on 8-of-17 shooting, while Jaden McDaniels exploded for 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. It was just his second 20-point game of the 2024 playoffs.
With Edwards and McDaniels leading the charge, Wolves big men Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 18 points on 18 shots, but the frontcourt duo also combined to pull down 27 rebounds. With Naz Reid, the trio's 38 rebounds come close to Denver's team total of 43 boards.
Coupling Minnesota's stingy defense with fierce rebounding resulted in one of the biggest blowout victories in NBA Playoff history. Here is where the Wolves' Game 6 win stands in history.
MORE: What Nikola Jokic's playoff mastery has proven
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets: By the numbers
- 45 points is the eighth-largest margin of victory in NBA Playoff history
- The largest playoff margin of defeat for an eventual champion is 39 points (2021 Bucks, 2022 Warriors)
- The next largest playoff margin of defeat for a defending champion is 36 points (2013 — Spurs 113, Heat 77)
- 70 points is the Nuggets' lowest-scoring output since Jan. 29, 2015 (69 points)
- The last time an NBA team scored 70 or fewer points was Nov. 14, 2018 (Jazz, 68 points)
- The last time an NBA team scored 70 or fewer points in a playoff game was April 19, 2016 (Grizzlies, 68 points)
MORE: Kyle Irving's expert 2-round edition of the 2024 NBA Mock Draft
Biggest NBA Playoffs margins of victory
| Rank | Margin | Game result | Date |
| 1. | 58 | Nuggets 121, Hornets 63 | April 27, 2009 |
| 58 | Lakers 133, Hawks 75 | March 19, 1956 | |
| 3. | 56 | Lakers 156, Warriors 70 | April 21, 1973 |
| 4. | 54 | Bulls 120, Bucks 66 | April 30, 2015 |
| 5. | 50 | Bucks 136, Warriors 86 | April 4, 1971 |
| 6. | 47 | Magic 124, Celtics 77 | April 28, 1995 |
| 47 | Lakers 135, Spurs 88 | April 17, 1986 | |
| 8. | 45 | Timberwolves 115, Nuggets 70 | May 16, 2024 |
| 9. | 44 | Cavaliers 130, Celtics 86 | May 19, 2017 |
| 44 | SuperSonics 122, Suns 78 | April 27, 1997 | |
| 44 | Lakers 153, Suns 109 | May 22, 1985 | |
| 44 | Hawks 105, Pistons 101 | March 25, 1958 |