Braun acknowledged the extra competitive nature that's going to be present as Denver faces off with Minnesota.
Christian Braun doesn't need a history lesson on what Minnesota means to this Denver Nuggets team. He lived it. The Nuggets and Timberwolves are back at it again, meeting in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
Denver won the first matchup in 2023 on its way to the title. The 2024 series is the one that still stings. The Nuggets led by 20 points in the second half of Game 7 at home and somehow still lost, as Minnesota outscored them 60-32 over the final 22 minutes to pull off one of the more stunning collapses in recent playoff memory.
It was certainly the kind of loss this team hasn't forgotten. Braun made that clear when asked if there's an extra competitive edge when these two teams meet.
"Yeah, absolutely," Braun said. "I think that it's a team you see a lot. A team that we had a couple good series with, and obviously they got us last in a tough game. So we gotta get them back, and it's a fun series. Playing against them is always fun, obviously the talent on both sides is so high."
Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesA Rivalry With Real Stakes
This series has everything. Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic are two of the most compelling players in basketball, and they've been going at each other long enough now that there's genuine familiarity on both sides.
Denver went 3-1 against Minnesota in the regular season this year, including a wild Christmas Day overtime win where Jokic dropped 56 points. But Minnesota took the final regular season meeting in March, so neither team is walking in without confidence.
For Braun specifically, the 2024 Game 7 is the backdrop to all of it. He's a guy who competes at a high level every night, and watching a 20-point lead evaporate at home in a winner-take-all game isn't something you just shake off.
His quote doesn't hide it. "We gotta get them back" is about as direct as it gets from a player who chooses his words carefully.
Denver Has Something to Prove
The Nuggets closed the regular season on a 12-game winning streak and locked up the three seed. Jokic is Jokic. Jamal Murray had the best season of his career, averaging 25.4 points and 7.1 assists while making his first All-Star team.
This group is healthy and motivated in a way that felt less certain earlier in the year when injuries piled up across the roster. Minnesota is no pushover either. The Wolves return with Edwards, who has been one of the best players in the entire playoffs over the last two years, and a roster that knows exactly how to beat this Denver team.
That's what makes Braun's point land. Both teams know each other inside and out at this point. There's no mystery left, just execution. And for the Nuggets, the memory of Game 7 is the kind of fuel that doesn't burn out.