The NBA playoffs are now officially in full swing, and the Denver Nuggets are already in some serious hot water. Just three games before the conclusion of the regular season, the Nuggets made headlines by firing championship-winning coach Michael Malone. Fans and media alike are reeling from the move. Now, as they prepare to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, most are calling for the team to rebuild.
Yet the Nuggets had a rocky regular season, starting with an in-season coaching change. Through the adversity, they won 50 games and earned themselves home-court advantage in their first round playoff series. At the center of this budding optimism sits franchise centerpiece Nikola Jokić. This year, he’s once again back in the running for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. His success on the mound this year has been key. He’s putting up 29.6 points, 12.7 boards, and 10.2 assists on almost 58 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from three.
As the playoffs draw near, Jokić’s leadership will certainly shine when it matters most. His ability to score will be put to the ultimate test against a stout Timberwolves defense. The riveting matchup should be electrifying! In the process, it’ll highlight two different styles of play, both of which are bound to have fans sitting on the edge of their seats.
Coaching Turmoil for the Nuggets
The firing of the beloved Michael Malone has produced shockwaves throughout the organization. Malone, who led the Nuggets to a championship, was unexpectedly let go with only three games remaining in the regular season. This decision casts doubt on their locker room culture and wonder who will step up to lead in the critical playoff run.
While this season has been a bit of a roller coaster for the Nuggets, they are still finding ways to bounce back. Fueled by Jokić’s absurd second half, they turned their fortunes around, posting a top-three record after the All-Star break. They skyrocketed from an average of 16.3 points per game to 25 points per game. That jarring drop in performance clearly illustrates how important Jokić is to the team’s overall success. Equally impressive is his incredible knack for tailoring, inspiring, and motivating the people around him.
Through the chaos that has been their coaching drama, the Nuggets have stayed the course and continue to find themselves deep into their playoff run. With home court advantage, they’ll be sure to try to take advantage of it.
“People say that we were vulnerable, but the beast is always the most dangerous when they’re vulnerable.” – Nikola Jokić
Timberwolves’ Offensive Firepower
On the western side of this playoff pairing, the Minnesota Timberwolves arrive to this battle with plenty of hype as well. Leading into the playoffs, they were the eighth-best regular-season offensive team, a testament to their ability to bruise and score. After the All-Star break, they were one of the three best offensive teams. Anthony Edwards’ breakout performance was the catalyst to make this a reality.
Those games truly kicked off Edwards’ push toward asserting himself as one of the best young scorers in the league. He has the ability to finish at all three levels. His contributions will be key as the Timberwolves try to find any cracks in the Nuggets’ defense.
Not only have the Timberwolves rolled on offense, they’re not bad defensively, though. They finished their regular season as the sixth-best defensive team, a well-rounded foe for any tournament opponent. This combined scoring and defensive threat makes them an opponent the Nuggets should fear.
A Clash of Styles
This potential series would be an interesting match of styles with these two teams. The Nuggets have a beautiful style built on perimeter shooting and versatile ball movement anchored by Jokić. In comparison, the Timberwolves’ offense focuses more on pushing the ball in transition with multiple scoring threats, led by Edwards.
Minnesota has a hard road ahead. They’ll need more than James Harden, because they’ll have to face Luka Dončić and LeBron James in a separate first round matchup against other teams. What this does mean is that they’ll need to stay locked in and flexible as they get ready for their Denver series.
Both teams are learning and improving as the season goes on. They are seemingly intent to use their advantages to their fullest in this go around of the playoffs.
“We’re a different team, they’re a different team. It’s a new year.”
This sentiment rings true as both teams evolve throughout the season and aim to capitalize on their strengths during this playoff run.
