The Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff hopes are taking another hit, as their injury list continues to grow at the worst possible time. For Friday's crucial Game 6 against the Denver Nuggets, the team will be without guard Ayo Dosunmu (sore right calf) and forward Kyle Anderson (illness), adding to an already depleted roster.

This series has been a battle of attrition. The Timberwolves were already reeling after losing sparkplug Donte DiVincenzo to a ruptured right Achilles tendon just a minute into Game 4, followed by All-Star Anthony Edwards exiting in the second quarter with a bone bruise in his left knee. Despite those setbacks, Minnesota showed incredible resilience, taking Game 4 with a 112-96 victory powered by Dosunmu's career-high 43 points.

But the injuries finally caught up in Game 5, where the Nuggets cut the series lead to 3-2 with a 125-113 win in Denver. With the backcourt thinned significantly, head coach Chris Finch has turned to veteran Mike Conley (in his 19th season) and rookie Terrence Shannon (a 2024 first-round pick) to start in Game 6.

Backup guard Bones Hyland is listed on the injury report with a sore left knee but remains available off the bench, while Jaylen Clark—who saw limited minutes during the regular season—is expected to step into a larger role. Anderson's absence is particularly felt, as the experienced forward had been providing reliable minutes since rejoining the team last month.

In a show of team spirit, DiVincenzo visited the morning shootaround on a scooter after undergoing surgery Sunday, and his teammates honored him by wearing his jersey to the arena. For the Nuggets, forwards Aaron Gordon (left calf tightness) and Peyton Watson (strained right hamstring) remain sidelined, with Gordon missing three games and Watson yet to play in the series.