No Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu. No problem for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The shorthanded No. 6-seeded Timberwolves closed out the first-round playoff series against the No. 3 Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, pulling off a 110-98 upset win in Game 6 at Target Center.
Minnesota advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for the third straight season and will face Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs.
Jaden McDaniels (32 points and 10 rebounds), Terrence Shannon Jr. (24 points), Julius Randle (18 points) and Naz Reid (15 points) stepped up with Edwards (knee), DiVincenzo (Achilles), Dosunmu (calf) and Kyle Anderson (illness) out. Dosunmu, who averaged 30.5 points per game in his two starts in the series, and Anderson were ruled out right before Thursday’s tipoff.
Shannon moved into the starting lineup for the Wolves, who used only eight players. He had a key layup and free throw with less than two minutes remaining to extend the lead to 103-97.
Nikola Jokić had 28 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists for Denver, which got within three late but failed to score in the final 1:26. Cameron Johnson had 27 points. Jamal Murray struggled, finishing with 12 points on 4-for-17 shooting.
Here are some key takeaways from Game 6.
Denver’s demise
There will be time to dissect all the particulars of the Nuggets’ demise in this series — the poor 3-point shooting, the inefficiency of Murray, the funk of Jokić — but the microscope first must focus on the most glaring deficiency: Minnesota played harder. All series.
With the exception of a Game 5 rout in Denver, the Nuggets never looked comfortable, never looked themselves, and that is in large part due to Minnesota outworking them. The Timberwolves’ defense was up in the shirts of the Nuggets all series, giving the ballhandlers no space to operate. McDaniels handcuffed Murray. Rudy Gobert bothered Jokić. And the rest of the Timberwolves outhustled the Nuggets to rebounds and loose balls.
Injuries took away Minnesota’s best player (Edwards), its most diverse player (DiVincenzo) and its most explosive bench player (Dosunmu). But none of Minnesota’s injuries diminished their want-to. The series was won because Minnesota wanted it more.
Murray stopper
Another Minnesota-Denver series, another dominant McDaniels defensive performance on Murray.
Two years after holding Murray to his worst playoff series performance, McDaniels backed it up with another smothering performance on the Nuggets’ standout point guard. Murray averaged 23.7 points in the series but went 4-for-17 in Game 6 and for the series shot 35.6 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from 3-point range.
This comes after Murray scored just two points in the second half of Game 7 in 2024, when he finished the series shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
When it comes to personal rivalries in the West, the McDaniels-Murray matchup is now at the top, with McDaniels holding a commanding edge. — Jason Quick
Another hero for Minnesota
Wolves fans have been clamoring for Shannon all series. With no other options given their plethora of injuries, Chris Finch started the second-year wing, and he came through in an enormous way.
Shannon made 9 of 20 shots, attacking Denver’s inept paint defense over and over again to help fill the scoring void left by the injuries to Edwards, DiVincenzo and Dosunmu.
The Nuggets simply could not keep up with Shannon’s speed and power. He bulldozed through Johnson and blazed past Murray and Spencer Jones for great looks over and over again. He also had six rebounds and played solid defense. His 3-point play with 1:43 to go gave the Wolves the breathing room they needed to hold on.
These are the kinds of performances a team needs to pull an upset the magnitude that the Wolves just pulled off. The unheralded role player coming out of nowhere, and Shannon did just that.
This wasn’t just a win, this was a miracle. Down three of their best players. Facing their bitter rivals. Shannon, and the Wolves, just wanted it more than the Nuggets. And they took it. — Jon Krawczynski
Substitute Yoane Wissa scored twice to give Matthias Jaissle a winning start as Newcastle boss with a 2-1 comeback pre-season win at 10-man Valencia.
But the friendly at the Mestalla threatened to be overshadowed by Jose Gaya’s red-card horror tackle on Anthony Elanga, which saw the Newcastle winger stretchered off in the first half and led to both sets of players clashing.
Fortunately for the Sweden international, his injury does not appear to be serious, with Elanga later up and walking after a contusion to the shin.
Image: Tempers flared after Jose Gaya’s challenge saw Anthony Elanga stretchered off
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Jaissle was “relaxed” over Elanga’s injury.
The German said: “It seems to be not bad, so we are pleased. I hope it’s true, then he can start again next week.”
He added: “Of course I was in fear [it was a serious injury], definitely, but now I’m more relaxed as the medical department is showing almost green lights, and there’s nothing serious.”
Jaissle’s next pre-season test will come on Wednesday as his new side face Everton at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
Image: Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade (left) started at the Mestalla
Wissa’s fresh start under Jaissle
Sky Sports News’ Keith Downie at the Mestalla:
“A good end to a positive week in Spain for Newcastle – and a trophy for Jaissle in his first match in charge as they lift the ‘Orange Cup’.
“Some impressive signs from new signings Aladji Bamba, Steur and Toure.
“Newcastle’s travelling fans sent home from The Mestalla with a spring in their step.
“One major positive was Wissa’s performance.
“Newcastle really need him to come good this season. It was a huge £55m outlay on a 29-year-old, and last season was a nightmare for him.
“He looks sharp and is coming off a good World Cup showing. Maybe this could be a fresh start for the striker.”
Jaissle keeping ‘balanced’ after debut win
Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle speaking at his post-match press conference:
“First of all, I’m really happy that there are no serious injuries. Anthony, we are happy, and it seems to be okay, actually – that was the most important thing.
“Of course, winning games always helps to gain confidence, but we also knew that we had a hard week behind us. The players did well in the camp; there was a pure commitment in each session.
“We had a hard load, so therefore now we deserve two days off, and then we start again.
“It was a friendly today; we will not smash the locker room now and celebrate a lot.
“We’re quite balanced; we know what it is about. Now it’s pre-season, and we’re still looking to work on it.
“It’s just a journey; we don’t want to hang onto that.
“The victory is higher than it is, but also we don’t see the losses lower than it is then, so we should be quite balanced in our approach.
“We should just analyse the situation and develop from there, and that’s what we’re going to do.
“Now next week, there are things we need to work on, definitely.”
Ireland’s Aaron McKenna defeated Etinosa Oliha to become a middleweight world champion.
For McKenna this fight in Dublin was a dream homecoming. The Irish middleweight had pursued his career across America, sparring in some of the world’s best gyms and amassing an undefeated pro record.
This contest, for the vacant IBF middleweight title, was his first world title fight and his first professional contest in Ireland.
With brother Stevie taking a spectacular knockout earlier, McKenna made a memorable entrance, wildly cheered into the ring by the 3Arena crowd, so loudly that the floor was almost rumbling.
But he didn’t let emotions carry him away at the start of the fight. He edged forward onto the front foot, feinting. He timed a left hook as Oliha, unbeaten himself coming in, stepped to him.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Aaron McKenna had an incredible entrance ahead of his IBF world middleweight title fight with Etinosa Oliha, first coming into Sinead O’Connor’s The Foggy Dew and then Faithless’ Insomnia!
McKenna let his jab flicker out. His hands were quick, his right streaked in and McKenna used his left hook to let a cross blast through.
But the Italian wrested the second round his way, thumping through right hooks, punches McKenna felt, to show that he too could launch meaningful attacks.
McKenna ground forward, stifling his own long-range work but bodily forcing Oliha back.
When he did strike his opponent with a reaching right, the crowd roared and as the fight progressed into its second half McKenna did move more on his toes, darting back to scrape his left hook into the side of Oliha’s head.
The Italian looked to rip hooks into him but McKenna marshalled him to the ropes and slugged Oliha with a left hook.
Image: McKenna and Oliha were both unbeaten coming into this world title fight
McKenna imposed himself again in the ninth round but Oliha, a solid operator, showed little sign of wilting.
In the 10th round McKenna circled out and reeled off double jabs. As they grappled in a clinch though, Oliha unleashed a flurry that caught the Irishman.
McKenna briefly put space between them with a cross to the chin. He scored to the body with thudding right hooks too.
Oliha charged from his corner with a long one-two to start the 11th round. With flashier work, McKenna landed a left uppercut off his jab. Oliha though hacked back at him with a right hook up close.
McKenna continued to punch in greater volume. A clash saw him cut on the forehead just before the end of the 11th. He trusted in a hefty right hook as a response.
Image: McKenna tears into Oliha.
He didn’t want or need to take risks in the last round. He moved sharply, striking an increasingly desperate Oliha with jabs and the crowd all around him stood up cheering, clapping and chanting his name.
McKenna worked an uppercut, Oliha drove in a right but even when McKenna took shots he didn’t let them shake him as he closed out a unanimous decision.
When that final bell chimed, McKenna rushed to the corner post and jumped up onto the ropes to celebrate.
As soon as the words “from Monaghan” were declared by the ring announcer, confirming McKenna a 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 victor, the arena burst into deafening cheers once again.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Aaron McKenna was in buoyant mood after beating Etinosa Oliha to become IBF world middleweight champion in front of his home crowd in Dublin.
“A new world champion. I’ve been saying it for years. A big thank you to Zuffa Boxing for giving me this platform and bringing a fight back to Ireland for me,” McKenna beamed afterwards.
“I’ve been a professional for nine years and never got the chance to fight in Ireland. Why? Just look at these beautiful fans.
“I never lost discipline in training. There were times when I wondered whether I’d ever get the chance.
“My dad [their trainer] sacrificed his whole life for me and my brother, dedicating everything to helping us chase our dreams.
Beau Hossler leads the field at the 2026 Wyndham Championship after three rounds of play, with a score of -16. Play continues at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, NC, watch the fourth round to see how the action plays out.
11:50 a.m. ET: Joel Dahmen (-8/21st), Sungjae Im (-8/21st)
12 p.m. ET: Jordan Spieth (-8/21st), Justin Thomas (-8/21st)
12:10 p.m. ET: Webb Simpson (-8/21st), Ben Kohles (-8/21st)
This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
