Eight different seven-game series will begin this weekend in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. For the diehards, it represents a two-day, wall-to-wall buffet of basketball action, and the final Game 1 matchup takes place in Denver. The No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves to begin a Western Conference clash.

Denver is a No. 1 seed for the first time after putting together an impressive 2022-23 season. Led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets won 53 games, even with a bit of a late-season swoon. Denver's offense is potent to say the least, and the Nuggets also aim to stop the fourth-longest drought (46 seasons) of any team without reaching the NBA Finals. 

The Nuggets will welcome either the Wolves to town at 10:30 pm ET on Sunday. Minnesota entered the play-in seeking back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2004, and the Timberwolves produced back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time since 2005. Minnesota fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first play-in matchup, but the Wolves project to have Rudy Gobert back to join Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns at the top of the call sheet.

As the seven-game matchup begins, the Nuggets are -475 favorites ($475 to win $100) at Caesars Sportsbook, with the Wolves listed at +360 ($100 to win $360) to advance. Denver is +375 to win the Western Conference this season and +1100 to win the 2023 NBA championship. Minnesota is listed at +7500 to win the West and +20000 to win the championship.

Full series odds

• Series winner: Nuggets -475 | Wolves +360
  
• Series handicap: Nuggets -2.5 games (+100) | Wolves +2.5 games (-135)
• Series alternate handicap: Nuggets -1.5 games (-190) |  Wolves +1.5 games (+150)
• Total number of games: Five (+230) | Six (+250) | Seven (+260) | Four (+375)
• Exact finish: Nuggets in 5 (+235) | Nuggets in 7 (+360) | Nuggets in 6 (+360) | Nuggets in 4 (+375) | Wolves in 6 (+900) | Wolves in 7 (+1100) | Wolves in 5 (+2500) | Wolves in 4 (+5000)

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