DENVER — The Nuggets are coming into their final game before the All-Star break with a lot on the line. They currently stand a game-and-a-half ahead of the Sacramento Kings for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race and are 4.5 games up on the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets currently lead the season series against the Timberwolves 2-1. With a win tonight, Denver secures the tie-breaker over their division rival and takes an additional step towards reaching the playoffs.

Regular season game No. 56 | Denver Nuggets (25-30) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (21-35)

Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado | 7:00 PM MST | TV: Altitude

Plumlee debuts

While securing the tie-breaker against the Timberwolves and going into the All-Star break on a winning streak are all important aspects of tonight’s matchup with Minnesota, they are not the main storyline of the game. Plumlee making his official debut for the Denver Nuggets is what everyone will have their eyes on Wednesday night.

Michael Malone has already been extremely vocal about how much he likes Plumlee as a player and elaborated on that today at shootaround.

“I have been impressed with his knowledge and how quickly he has picked up on everything that we are giving him,” Malone said. “You have to understand, it is a lot. Terminology, play calls, defensive coverages. But I think he already has a pretty good grasp of things.”

With the Nuggets limping towards the All-Star break and with only have ten players in uniform against the Timberwolves, Plumlee will be called upon for big minutes. Expect a hefty dose of Jamal Murray and Plumlee together off of the bench as the main contributors from the second unit.

“We still have quite a few guys out so I don’t have many healthy bigs available so Mason will get a great opportunity to play,” Malone said. “As far as how many minutes? However many are needed. I am not going into the game with a certain number but he will play with Nikola and he will play behind Nikola at times. He will get an opportunity to impact the game as a power forward as well as a center. I know he is excited and I cannot wait to see him out there.”

Malone is not the only person excited to see what Plumlee can do. Will Barton was also glowing in his description of the Nuggets’ newest big man and what he could bring to Denver.

“I am excited to play with him,” Barton said. “He is a guy who is a rim protector, rebounds, can play above the rim, and he is a guy who makes plays for others. Kind of like Jokic in a sense that he is a passing big man.”

While Denver is excited to see Plumlee play and are coming off a big win against the Warriors, Barton also knows that there is business to attend to tonight.

“It just shows that we cannot have any let-up,” said Barton. “That game was a great game but that was yesterday. No one is gong to care if we come out here and lay an egg tonight. We need to be locked in, focused, and ready to win.”

Jokic to participate in Skills Challenge

With Joel Embiid suffering a slightly torn meniscus in his left knee last week, he will not take part in the All-Star weekend festivities. Replacing him in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge will be Jokic. He will be competing against fellow big-men Kristaps Porzingis, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins as well as Devin Booker, Isiah Thomas, John Wall, and Gordon Hayward.

Replacing him in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge will be Jokic. He will be competing against fellow big men Kristaps Porzingis, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins as well as Devin Booker, Isiah Thomas, John Wall, and Gordon Hayward.

Footnotes

The Nuggets will be without Danilo Gallinari for the eighth straight game as he continues to recover from a groin injury. Barton or Wilson Chandler (illness) are are line to start at small forward/

With Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur still dealing with injuries, Juan Hernangomez could start at power forward for the second game in a row. After pouring in an insane 27 points on 6-9 shooting from beyond the arc against the likes of Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, it seems that Hernangomez has earned the chance to start in the final game before the All-Star break.

Emmanuel Mudiay will miss his sixth consecutive game after re-aggravating his back against San Antonio. Jameer Nelson will start in his place and Jamal Murray continue to handle the backup point guard minutes.