Timberwolves prepare for playoff series with Nuggets after defeating Pelicans in season finale

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Apr 12, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — Even though the regular-season finale between the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans didn’t have any meaning, the stands were still packed.

Kevin Garnett made his return to Target Center for the first time in his new role as an official ambassador for the team. Garnett walked out of the tunnel before the game flanked by owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, then took a seat next to them courtside.

He then watched a Wolves team that was sitting almost all of its rotation players defeat to the Pelicans 132-126. The Wolves finished 49-33, in third place in the Northwest Division and in sixth place in the Western Conference — exactly the same as a season ago.

Playoff matchup is set: It’s Denver

The attention of Wolves fans was also focused around the league to determine who the Wolves’ opponent would be in the first round of the playoffs. The Wolves would face Denver if the Nuggets beat San Antonio or if the Los Angeles Lakers lost to Utah.

The Nuggets rested almost all their significant contributors aside from Nikola Jokic, who played 18 minutes in the first half to satisfy the league’s 65-game requirement for postseason awards. But a Denver team that gave significant minutes to Minnesota natives Zeke Nnaji, Tyus Jones and David Roddy beat a Spurs team that rested Victor Wembanyama but played most of the rest of their regulars.

The Nuggets’ 128-118 victory meant they close out the regular season with a 12-game winning streak, and it means they will play the Wolves in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. Game 1 is 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday in Denver and will be streamed on Amazon Prime; the rest of the series will be announced after the play-in teams are determined.

DiVincenzo plays 82

The only starter who took the floor for the Wolves was guard Donte DiVincenzo, who played seven minutes and scored three points. DiVincenzo suited up so he could finish his goal of playing in all 82 games this season.

“I’ve always thought the best ability is availability,” DiVincenzo said. “Just trying to do everything possible, prep wise, off days, just staying on top of my body, being ready to go, and then just also just having the mindset of just wanting to play every single day. I got close one time in New York. So every year I try to go in and try to play 82, but it just seemed more realistic this year.”

DiVincenzo was one of only four players to hit that mark in the league this season, and it was the first time he hit it in his career. The Wolves had two players hit it last season — Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. DiVincenzo is the 16th player in franchise history to do it. Garnett did so four times in his career.

“All credit to him,” coach Chris Finch said of DiVincenzo. “I know it’s important to him. … We’ve had a few guys do that in here, and it’s something that we we really honor, because we’re a team that doesn’t load manage or rest guys.”

Young guys get run

The Wolves had a glorified exhibition game with a lot of their young players getting some run, along with Joe Ingles. Ingles finished with 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.

Terrence Shannon Jr. had 26 points, coming off 33- and 23-point games against Orlando and Houston, respectively.

Rookie center Joan Beringer had 24 points and 12 rebounds and seven blocks, making the 19-year-old the youngest player in NBA history to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a game. He’s the fourth teenager overall to do that.

Julian Phillips, whom the Wolves acquired in the Ayo Dosunmu trade from Chicago, had 16 points.

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