The Denver Nuggets won it all this past season by getting past the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, outlasting the Phoenix Suns in six games and then sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers to reach the NBA Finals. There, they had an easy time with the Miami Heat, defeating them in five games.
Some feel the Nuggets had too easy a time in winning the world championship, especially since the Lakers weren’t able to put up much of a fight.
Bruce Brown, who was a key contributor for Denver, even said that their toughest opponent in the postseason was the Timberwolves, a team that won just 42 regular season games. He even seemed to say L.A. posed no challenge.
Via Lakers Daily:
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“I would say our toughest series was…Minnesota,” Brown said.
“… It never felt like we were gonna lose any game,” he said of the Lakers series. “Even when they went on they little run, like Austin Reaves was hitting 3s, it never felt like, ‘Oh, we about to lose.’”
Even though L.A. got swept by the Nuggets, at least a few of the games in that series were competitive and could’ve gone either way. In the end, the Nuggets had been together longer, and that was likely what pushed them over the top against LeBron James and crew.
NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) announced that Sue Abderholden will retire as executive director effective Oct. 15. Abderholden has led NAMI Minnesota since October 2001.
AIRPORTS
The Metropolitan Airports Commission announced it has promoted Kelly Gerads to director of reliever airports, responsible for the operation and maintenance of its six general aviation airports in the Twin Cities metro area: St. Paul Downtown Airport, Flying Cloud Airport, Anoka County-Blaine Airport, Crystal Airport, Airlake Airport and Lake Elmo Airport. Gerads was promoted from assistant director of reliever airports, a position she’s held since 2007. The MAC also operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
ATTRACTIONS
Transwestern Real Estate Services announced the planned opening of a Soar N Bounce Trampoline and Adventure Park at Aurora Village Shopping Center, located at 1801 County Road 42 West in Burnsville; it’s the chain’s first Minnesota location.
CONSTRUCTION
Empirehouse, a Mounds View architectural glass and metal contractor, announced the retirement of General Manager James Bringle.
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EDUCATION
Blaze Credit Union, Falcon Heights, announced it was honored with the Minnesota Credit Union Network’s 2025 Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award, recognizing Blaze’s initiatives promoting financial wellbeing of students in St. Paul Public Schools.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
U.S. Bank, Minneapolis, announced that it has united its Global Fund Services and Global Corporate Trust teams into a single Investment Services division led by Jay Martin, president of Investment Services. Martin has led Global Fund Services since joining the bank in 2023. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, he spent time at Citco, where he was head of operations within the Fund Services division. … Merchants Financial Group, Winona, announced the reelection of three directors to three-year terms: Molly Jungbauer, Hollstadt Consulting; John Killen, WinCraft; and James Rogers III, Mayo Clinic.
HEALTH CARE
Nura Pain Clinics, a subsidiary of the Capitol Pain Institute family of practices, announced the opening of a clinic at 707 Bielenberg Drive, Suite 108, Woodbury. Dr. Larry Studt, who joined Nura in 2024, will serve as the Woodbury clinic’s primary provider. Nura Pain Clinics also has locations in Edina and Coon Rapids.
HONORS
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced it has named ATEK Distribution, of Minneapolis, as SBA’s Minnesota Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year. The business is owned by Jeffrey Anderson, who previously served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. ATEK Distribution provides wholesale electrical construction materials, including wiring supplies, electrical light fixtures, EV charging stations, light bulbs, and solar and electrical power equipment. … Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota announced this year’s winners of BBB’s Torch Awards for Ethics: Category 1 (1-2 employees): T & J Construction, Rogers; Category 2 (3-15 employees): Front Burner Accounting Services, Eden Prairie; Category 3 (20-99 employees): Paris Painting, Brooklyn Center; Category 4 (100+ employees): Coordinated Business Systems, Burnsville.
LAW
Faegre Drinker announced that Berglind Halldorsdottir Birkland has joined the firm’s litigation practice as counsel in the Minneapolis office. Birkland, a native of Iceland, also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and chairs the International Business Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association.
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REAL ESTATE
HomeServices of America, a Minneapolis-based Berkshire Hathaway franchised real estate agency, announced the following executive appointments: Alex Seavall, promoted from chief financial officer to chief financial and operations officer; and Candace Adams has been named executive vice president. Adams has served as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties.
SERVICES
Restaurant Technologies, a Mendota Heights-based provider of cooking oil waste management to restaurants, announced it has named Matthew Micowski as chief financial officer, succeeding Bob Weil, who has held the position since 2007 and has transitioned to a strategic adviser position within the organization.
TECHNOLOGY
Calabrio, a Minneapolis-based provider of human resources software and services, announced it has appointed Frank Ciccone as chief revenue officer. Ciccone most recently was with Verizon, where he managed a $400 million collaboration and customer experience business.
This week’s stretch of warm and sunny weather continues into the weekend.
High pressure will bring more sunshine and comfy temperatures Saturday, expect seasonable highs back near 70 degrees.
A small piece of upper level energy may create a few rouge pop-up showers across northern Minnesota, but it shouldn’t be too impactful.
Highs will gradually creep up into the low 70s on Sunday and stay there through Memorial Day along with the dry, partly sunny skies.
It’s possible that some wildfire smoke may continue to linger across northern Minnesota on Sunday.
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Models show there may be some scattered showers Tuesday into Wednesday, so be sure to stay with WCCO for your latest weather headlines.
The rest of the week appears to remain looking quiet as temperatures gradually warm through the 70s, and closer to 80 by next weekend.
Adam Del Rosso
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Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weather has been a passion for Adam for as long as he can remember! Whether it was thunderstorms or winter storms, Adam has always been geeking out. After earning his meteorology degree from Penn State, he made his way to the Ohio Valley to forecast for WTOV.
Ty France hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Friday night for their 15th win in 17 games.
With the score 1-1, Carlos Correa reached on an infield single off Lucas Erceg (1-1) and France hit a first-pitch slider 403 feet into the bullpen in left-center for his fourth homer this season.
Correa, who passed concussion protocol and was activated from the 7-day injured list, hit a 429-foot homer in the second against Noah Cameron. Fans at the game received Carlos Correa Jedi bobbleheads.
Cole Sands (3-1) pitched a perfect ninth.
Vinnie Pasquantino had two hits for the Royals, while Cavan Biggio had a double and drove in a run.
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Cameron, a 25-year-old left-hander making his third major league start, allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight and walking one. He has a 0.93 ERA in 19 2/3 innings.
Pablo López gave up one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Biggio’s first-inning double scored Jonathan India.
Key moment
With the score 1-1 and two on in the third, López struck out Biggio and retired Drew Waters on a flyout.
Key statistic
Kansas City was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position, all against López.
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Up next
Royals RHP Michael Wacha (3-4, 2.86) will face Twins RHP Zebby Matthews (0-1, 12.00) on Saturday.
