DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 06: Jamal Murray #27 pf the Denver Nuggets drives against Karl-Anthony Towns ... [+]
Walking into Denver without the Defensive Player of the Year, the Timberwolves knew the objective. Everyone on the floor had to up their intensity. Without their world-class rim protector in the middle, quarterbacking every scheme, the perimeter attack needed to be flawless — and it met every expectation.
Rudy Gobert missed Game 2 to attend the birth of his first child, but the Wolves’ defense continued to buckle down and show no signs of vulnerability.
Minnesota wasn’t satisfied with a split in Games 1-2. And if you know anything about Anthony Edwards ... that’s not how he rolls.
It was time to be greedy. If the first round was Minnesota announcing itself as a tier-one title contender, this matchup with the Nuggets is for them staking their claim as the West favorites.
This is more than Edwards blossoming into a young Michael Jordan, dazzling road crowds with the level of shot creation most 22-year-olds only dream about.
What we’re seeing is the product of a meticulous coaching staff, elite team-building moves from Wolves president Tim Connelly, and the value of staying patient while trusting your blueprint.
Minnesota took a massive gamble by leaning into this version of their team with the Gobert trade, essentially committing the future to this core.
A year ago today, they had to hear all of the laughs and criticism. The path they chose was repeatedly mocked.
Now, they have illustrated just how quickly things can change in the NBA.
And better yet — the Wolves are now suddenly in a position most franchises envy.
Their Game 2 victory over the Nuggets wasn’t just your standard road win. It was the epitome of a playground bully pinning someone down, stealing their lunch money, and walking away taunting without the fear of the consequences.
Given the context of the opponent, stakes, and efficiency we’re used to in the modern era, it’s not hyperbole to suggest Game 2 was the most impressive defensive performance in 15-plus years.
You would have to go back to the 2008 Celtics, ironically led by former Wolves icon Kevin Garnett, to find a half-court defense this suffocating and unrelenting. An argument can be made for the 2016 Spurs or 2017 Warriors, but the perimeter pests for Minnesota appear to be stronger.
The Wolves held Denver to just 76.9 points per 100 half-court possessions in Game 2. It was the Nuggets’ third-worst offensive game of the entire season, with another loss to Minnesota on Nov. 1 being in that group as well.
Minnesota became one of eight teams in NBA history to start a playoff run 6-0 with a point differential greater than +90. While only three of the seven teams on this list eventually won the title, it’s still unbelievable for the Timberwolves — who didn’t win a playoff series for 20 years — to be in this company:
Without Gobert, everyone collectively took a giant step forward in their ball-pressure and perimeter containment. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaden McDaniels stole the show defensively by making Denver’s guards exhaust every bit of energy to begin possessions.
We’ve seen teams unleash different versions of full-court pressure over the years and what effect it can have on players that aren’t used to dealing with it. Minnesota takes it to a new level with their defensive wings, leveraging the NBA’s recent shift in officiating that allows more physicality.
The theme of these 2024 playoffs might be the importance of youth and athleticism defensively. Both Minnesota and Oklahoma City are thrashing opponents and forcing everyone to play within a phone booth in the half-court.
McDaniels, Alexander-Walker, and Mike Conley are experts at getting over screens and funneling any dynamic scorer into the mid-range area, where Gobert is usually waiting for them in drop coverage.
Then, as we witnessed in Game 2, backup center Naz Reid can utilize his athletic frame and quick feet to switch onto perimeter scorers when necessary.
Denver spent most of its possessions up against the shot clock in the first half, not finding any type of flow because of how aggressively Minnesota disrupted their pet actions.
Even with multiple ball-handlers on the floor in Murray and Reggie Jackson, the Nuggets were making absolutely no traction in terms of paint touches.
Any north-to-south movement or pressure on the rim? Zilch.
Just pay attention to Jaden McDaniels hounding Jackson all the way up the floor, followed by Alexander-Walker blowing up this dribble-handoff (DHO) for Murray:
Alexander-Walker prevents Murray from turning the corner, instead forcing him toward the sideline by “Icing” this screen. It leads to a switch against Naz Reid, which becomes a torture chamber for one of the best shot creators in the game. This is the possession that let the audience know Minnesota is out for blood.
The Nuggets were also incapable of generating any looks in semi-transition. Typically, if Denver pushes after an opponent’s missed shot (especially at home in altitude), that’s a winning formula.
However, the ball-pressure was insurmountable. Look at how many seconds the Wolves force Murray to burn off the shot clock:
McDaniels and Alexander-Walker are more than a pack of wolves hunting their prey. They are wardens, throwing Devin Booker in jail last week and now expeditiously walking Jamal Murray down the Green Mile.
By the time Murray gets the ball back and begins a pick-and-roll with Gordon, there’s only five seconds on the clock and he sees a brief double yet again — with the same duo haunting him. This is exactly what the Wolves want to do. The possession ends with a terrible corner three-point attempt by a non-shooter.
Everything is a chore for Denver’s halfcourt offense in this series. Even if Murray breaks free on these patent handoffs with Jokic, he’s feeling a help defender digging down at the nail:
That’s where the Nuggets are seriously in trouble — they better convert on the ‘open’ looks they generate because Minnesota’s second and third efforts are outrageous. At the end of the possession above, both Jokic and Murray are harassed on the offensive rebound. It forces them to burn more precious seconds off the clock, and ultimately leads to a blocked shot on a desperation attempt.
The brilliance of Minnesota’s perimeter defense isn’t limited to just guard-on-guard matchups. Alexander-Walker has arguably been the defensive MVP of the these first two games because it doesn’t matter who you put him on.
Here, he picks up Gordon on a switch, mirrors every movement by sliding his feet perfectly, and swipes at the ball before McDaniels rotates from the weakside to erase the attempt:
One quick note about McDaniels: When he’s on the floor during the postseason, Minnesota is forcing 16.5 turnovers per 100 possessions. That would be the worst mark in the league by a wide margin. When he’s on the bench, the Wolves force just 12.4 turnovers per 100, which would translate to the third-fewest from the regular season.
Monday became one of those nights where the second half was rendered pointless. The Wolves’ stifling defense gave them a 26-point lead at halftime, leaving the Denver crowd stunned and offering a few boos — not to mention Murray throwing a heat pack on the court when he was disgusted with the officiating.
After two games, the Nuggets are just 42-of-97 on twos (43.3%). For comparison, they shot 55.6% from inside the arc in the previous round.
The Wolves have held them to 34.4% on any ‘drive’ into the paint that results in a shot attempt. That’s 10 full percentage points below the NBA’s worst team at converting drives during the regular season (44.3%)
Denver had breathing room against the Lakers. While the offensive numbers weren’t always pretty, the process wasn’t bothered with physicality.
This isn’t the Lakers.
This is a team loaded with young, fiery defenders that seem to have a chip on their shoulder. And when surrounded by Conley and Gobert, two defensive-minded voices that have led 50-win teams in the past, they become weaponized to a higher degree.
The Wolves have found the sweet spot defensively. They are marrying the veteran IQ with the freakish athleticism to create a multi-headed monster. One with virtually no weakness.
