In order to get here, the No. 3-seed Wolves pulled off an impressive sweep of the No. 6-seed Suns in the first round, while the No. 2-seed Nuggets ousted the No. 7-seed Lakers in five games to advance. Anthony Edwards has become the Wolves' go-to scoring option as he's averaged 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the 2024 playoffs.

The Nuggets won in a five-game series, but outside of a Game 1 blowout, every other game's final result was within single points. Denver's final three victories were by an average margin of seven points per, and Minnesota's lone win was achieved with a three-point margin, 112-109, in a gutty Game 4 overtime victory.

On Thursday night the 2024 NBA Playoffs offered up a pair of Eastern Conference games with potential eliminations on the line. In the first game of the evening, the Indiana Pacers advanced to the semifinals for the first time in a decade while also sending division rivals the Milwaukee Bucks home in the first round for a second straight season.