The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the Western Conference second round. The Nuggets and Timberwolves tied the regular season series 2-2. Game 1 of the best-of-7 series is Saturday at 6 p.m. Central.

Our Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson previewed the match-up with former Nuggets player and coach and current TV analyst Bill Hanzlik.

***Click the video box above to watch Bill Hanzlik analyze the Wolves-Nuggets match-up***

Below is a series preview from the Associated Press:

Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26, third in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (57-25, second in the Western Conference)

Denver; Saturday, 6 p.m. Central

LINE Nuggets -4.5; over/under is 207.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Denver Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the Western Conference second round. Denver and Minnesota tied the regular season series 2-2. The Nuggets won the last regular season meeting 116-107 on April 11. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 41 points, and Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 25 points.

The Nuggets are 10-6 against division opponents. Denver ranks seventh in the Western Conference with 10.7 offensive rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 2.8.

The Timberwolves are 12-4 against the rest of the division. Minnesota averages 113.0 points and has outscored opponents by 6.5 points per game.

The 114.9 points per game the Nuggets score are 8.4 more points than the Timberwolves allow (106.5). The Timberwolves average 113.0 points per game, 3.4 more than the 109.6 the Nuggets give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jamal Murray is scoring 21.2 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 26.6 points and 14.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Edwards is scoring 25.9 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Mike Conley is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 115.8 points, 45.1 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points per game.

Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.5 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Vlatko Cancar: out (knee).

Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark: out (achilles).