{"id":616701,"date":"2026-05-01T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/616701\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T06:00:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T06:00:08","slug":"t-wolves-eliminate-nuggets-as-knicks-demolish-hawks-in-nba-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/616701\/","title":{"rendered":"T-Wolves eliminate Nuggets as Knicks demolish Hawks in NBA playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> eliminated Nikola Jokic<\/a>‘s Denver Nuggets<\/a> while the New York Knicks<\/a> put on one of the most dominant displays in NBA playoff history, destroying Atlanta<\/a> to advance Thursday.<\/p>\n

Sixth-seeded Minnesota will play the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> in the Western Conference semi-finals after completing a 110-98 win for a 4-2 series upset defeat of third-seeded Denver.<\/p>\n

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Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic top-scored for Denver with 28 but it was not enough to fend off the dogged Timberwolves, who were playing without star man Anthony Edwards<\/a> due to injury.<\/p>\n

The clash in Minneapolis was tight throughout, with no team gaining a double-digit lead until the game’s dying moments.<\/p>\n

The Timberwolves edged the first half, leading 57-50 at the break.<\/p>\n

Jokic roared to life. The Serbian superstar scored 14 points in the third quarter alone to ensure a nail-biting finish.<\/p>\n

Having already been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct from game four after a shoving match, Jokic enraged the home crowd by sparking another brawl, with Jaylen Clark<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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With his Timberwolves leading by five with 90 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels<\/a> sank a long jump-shot for two to rouse the home fans and force a Nuggets timeout.<\/p>\n

When play resumed Denver could only turn over the ball again. McDaniels closed out the win with two free throws, ending his night with a career-high 32 points, to top-score overall.<\/p>\n

“It’s a great night. It’s a great victory for us. Hopefully… we’ve got 12 more to go,”\u00a0said Minnesota coach Chris Finch.<\/p>\n

“We came into these playoffs not trying to beat Denver, but trying to win a championship.”<\/p>\n

A visibly crestfallen Jokic, whose side last won the NBA championship just three years ago, said they “just didn’t do a good job.”<\/p>\n

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“I needed to play better. I must play better,” he added.<\/p>\n

Edwards — out with a bone bruise and hyper-extended left knee —\u00a0could return for the Timberwolves’ series with the high-flying Spurs.<\/p>\n

– ‘Meet the moment’ –<\/p>\n

The Knicks routed the Atlanta Hawks<\/a> 140-89.<\/p>\n

It was the most points scored and the biggest win by the Knicks in a playoff game, setting up an Eastern Conference semi-final with either the Celtics or the 76ers, who are tied 3-3 after a Philadelphia<\/a> win.<\/p>\n

The Knicks wrapped up their 4-2 series victory in emphatic style, leading the Hawks by as many as 61 points before benching their starters for the final quarter.<\/p>\n

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New York’s 47-point half-time lead, at 83-36, was the widest in NBA post-season history.<\/p>\n

OG Anunoby top-scored with 29 points, including 26 in the first half, before he was rested. None of New York’s starters played more than 29 minutes.<\/p>\n

“We can’t just meet the moment, we’ve got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight,” said Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>, who recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.<\/p>\n

Having finished third in the Eastern Conference, the heavily favored Knicks had been down 2-1 early in the playoff series, before roaring back.<\/p>\n

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They are the first team to advance to the East’s semi-finals — their fourth straight year of reaching that stage.<\/p>\n

The Hawks briefly led at the start of the game, going up 11-9 before the wheels dramatically came off.\u00a0They trailed 40-15 at the end of the first quarter.<\/p>\n

The final 51-point margin of defeat was not quite the largest in playoff history, which stands at 58 points.<\/p>\n

“Obviously you hate to lose anything. And to lose the way we did, I think, particularly given the enthusiasm and support that we’ve had from the people in this building… disappointed on a lot of levels,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder.<\/p>\n

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– Historic rivals –<\/p>\n

The Celtics-76ers playoff series is headed for a decisive game seven in Massachusetts after Philadelphia beat Boston<\/a> 106-93.<\/p>\n

The Celtics had held a 3-1 series lead, but the 76ers<\/a> proved dominant on their home court to make it 3-3.<\/p>\n

Tyrese Maxey<\/a> top-scored with 30 points. Paul George<\/a> added 23, and 2023 Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid<\/a> poured in another 19, plus 10 rebounds and eight assists.<\/p>\n

It is the 23rd playoff series between the two historic rivals — an NBA record.<\/p>\n

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