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The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets are set to meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs, pitting the seventh-seeded Timberwolves against the second-seeded Nuggets. This matchup features two young and talented teams with different strengths and styles, making for an intriguing and unpredictable series. The Timberwolves, led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards,
20 APRIL 2023
TIME: 10:00 PM ET
have had a rollercoaster season, with injuries, COVID-19 protocols, and coaching changes affecting their performance. The Timberwolves finished the regular season with a record of 34-38, just barely avoiding the play-in tournament by beating the Denver Nuggets in the final game of the season. The Timberwolves’ success in the playoffs will depend on their offense, which ranks in the top ten in the
league in points per game, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage, as well as their defense, which has improved in the second half of the season. The Timberwolves’ strengths are their scoring, as they have multiple players who can create and make shots, and their athleticism, as they have several high-flying and fast-paced players. The Timberwolves’ weaknesses are their rebounding, which has been a problem all season, and their defense, which still ranks near the bottom of the league in points allowed. The Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, have had a solid and consistent season, with a record of 47-25, second best in the Western Conference. The Nuggets have overcome injuries and absences to key players, including Murray’s season-ending injury, by relying on Jokic’s MVP-level play and a deep and balanced roster. The Nuggets’ success in the playoffs will depend on their offense, which ranks in the top five in the league in points per game, assists, and field goal percentage, as well as their defense, which has improved in the second half of the season.
The Nuggets’ strengths are their size, as they have several big and skilled players in Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon, and their depth, as they have multiple players who can score, defend, and rebound. The Nuggets’ weaknesses are their three-point shooting, which has been inconsistent at times, and their perimeter defense, which has been a problem all season. If the Timberwolves and the Nuggets meet in the playoffs, it will be a clash of styles and approaches. The Timberwolves will try to push the pace, attack the rim, and shoot from outside, using their athleticism and scoring versatility. The Timberwolves will likely assign Towns to guard Jokic, as he did in the regular season, and try to contain his playmaking and scoring. The Timberwolves will also try to exploit their speed and transition game, by using Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, and Malik Beasley to run the floor and create open shots. The Nuggets will try to slow down the pace, dominate the boards, and move the ball, using their size and passing ability.
The Nuggets will likely use Jokic to initiate the offense and create open shots for his teammates, as well as use their depth to wear down the Timberwolves’ defense. The Nuggets will also try to improve their perimeter defense, by relying on players such as Gordon, Monte Morris, and JaMychal Green to defend the Timberwolves’ shooters.
