The playoffs of the recent past have created a new rivalry storyline within the NBA. The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves have more than just title contention to fight for in the playoffs. Last week, David Adelman benched his starters to Nikola Jokic & Co. poised for the Wolves. This week, Anthony Edwards is flexing his preparation for another series against the Nuggets. Ant isn’t just bringing his game, he’s bringing a transformed physique. It coincides with the burgeoning tension between the two Western Conference heavyweights, confirming that the respect between the teams has officially evolved into something more competitive.
“I don’t think there’s anything else to call it but a rivalry,” Edwards said when asked about the looming series. “I think there’s a lot of rivalries in the league now. And I think me and Denver is one of them.”
To prepare for the altitude and the workload required to chase Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, Edwards has been hyper-focused on his conditioning. Following a month of limited action due to late-season rest and minor ailments, Edwards revealed at practice Wednesday that he has successfully shed eight pounds to reach his lightest playing weight since his collegiate days.
“Working on my body, getting back in shape, getting my body fat down. I haven’t been 218 since I was in college, since I was 18, so I’m 218. I’ve got down in my weight. And I think the main thing is just getting in shape, trying to get back into game shape. I haven’t played a lot in the last month so trying to get back into shape… middle of the season I probably was like 226.”
Anthony Edwards was asked today at practice if he sees this to be a rivalry with Denver.
“I don’t think there’s anything else to call it but a rivalry… I think there’s a lot of rivalries in the league now. And I think me and Denver is one of them.” pic.twitter.com/gAclXjr1PH
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) April 15, 2026
The drop from 226 to 218 pounds signals a shift in Edwards’ strategy for the postseason. By returning to his freshman weight, the Wolves star is prioritizing the quickness and stamina needed to navigate a series against The Joker.
With the Nuggets entering the postseason on a 12-game winning streak, Anthony Edwards’ leaner frame could be the key to maintaining his explosive 28.8 points-per-game average over a grueling seven-game stretch.
The Nuggets are also prepared for Anthony Edwards
The rivalry is two years in the making, since the 2024 playoffs. Minnesota famously toppled the Nuggets in a classic seven-game semi-final. While Denver claimed three of the four regular-season meetings in 2025-26, the playoff stage is a different setting.
David Adelman himself doesn’t take The Joker’s playoff mode lightly. “Us and Minnesota, it’s been a crazy back-and-forth over the years,” the Nuggets’ first-year head coach noted in the final week of the regular season. The Nuggets had the potential to jockey for playoff positioning against the Lakers and Rockets. So he benched Jokic, Murray, and Aaron Gordon against OKC.
The winner of that game would’ve played against the Wolves. But as luck would have it, the Thunder also benched Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Nuggets secured a blowout 127-107 win but on the plus side, Jokic & Co. got a little extra rest for their injury scares.
It just goes to prove that the Nuggets and Timberwolves take this brewing rivalry very seriously. And they’re taking every chance to get an advantage in a seven-game series.
