The reigning champion Denver Nuggets are set to suit up against the Minnesota Timberwolves, in the first matchup of the 2024 playoffs' second round, tonight at 4 p.m. PT.
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Both oversized Western Conference clubs emerge hot off a pair of dominant quarterfinal series. The 57-25 Nuggets, the West's No. 2 seed, quickly dispensed of the No. 7-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, boasting All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis in just five games. The 56-26 Timberwolves, their conference's No. 3 seed, swept the Phoenix Suns, led by All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, along with former All-Star guard Bradley Beal.
The two clubs did face off against one another during the first round of the 2023 playoffs, and it was clear even then that the nascent form of Minnesota's core group (veteran starting point guard Mike Conley, All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards, then-injured small forward Jaden McDaniels, 7-foot All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert in the team's starting frontcourt, and their backup Naz Reid) could give Denver fits.
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The Nuggets won in a five-game series, but outside of a Game 1 blowout, every other game's final result was within single points. Denver's final three victories were by an average margin of seven points per, and Minnesota's lone win was achieved with a three-point margin, 112-109, in a gutty Game 4 overtime victory.
Minnesota's combination of size, defensive tenacity, and multi-level scoring is obviously a matchup issue for anybody, but it makes the club uniquely positioned to pester Denver.
The Nuggets have also looked a bit sloppier than normal in these playoffs, having allowed the Lakers to capture double digit advantages in each of the five games during their first round meeting. Denver is vulnerable right now, and Minnesota is ready. Let's see what they've got.
Here are three key storylines to keep tabs on as their matchup gets underway.
1. The Anthony Edwards-Jamal Murray Matchup
Granted, they play different positions, but there's no question that Edwards, a 22-year-old Georgia product, is going to be cross-matched onto Murray defensively all night. Murray has been hampered by a left calf strain for much of this ongoing postseason and is considered merely questionable to suit up tonight, according to the league's latest injury report. Edwards is operating at an All-Defensive level, whether or not he earns that honor from the NBA, and he'll be a matchup nightmare for the 6-foot-5 Murray. Murray's shooting in the postseason has been fairly erratic, but he has made a handful of clutch buckets when they've counted most.
Edwards will probably be primarily defended by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who's a better man-to-man defender than Murray and can afford to be more exhausted offensively. This will allow Murray to take it a bit easier against 36-year-old vet Conley when Denver is defending.
2. How Minnesota Will Handle Nikola Jokic
Jokic, who's likely to earn his third MVP award in four seasons at some point during these playoffs, is a relatively unstoppable force. Even during a "down" series against the Lakers, he averaged an insane 28.2 points on .591/.333/.926 shooting splits, 16.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.2 steals a night. He often didn't even look to score, but instead prioritized cleaning the glass and quarterbacking the offense with his passing.
How will Minnesota head coach Chris Finch game plan against Jokic this year? Will he opt for a zone defense, with likely 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert manning the middle and a combination of Naz Reid and Karl-Anthony Towns handling him elsewhere in spots? Time will tell, but the Timberwolves can ill afford to let Jokic get comfortable with his distribution. The best way to beat this team is to seal off passing lanes and try to force Jokic to score. Unfortunately, he happens to be very good at that when he's rolling.
3. The Timberwolves' Role Player Depth
Minnesota really is in a position to pull off what could be an incredible upset in the semifinals, thanks in part to theirs being a bit of a matchup wash with Denver and in part to Murray's questionable health. The real X-factor will be the performance of both sides' role players.
While the Nuggets' top six (starters Murray, Jokic, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon, plus reserve Christian Braun) all proved their mettle in their run to the title last year, their bench beyond that hasn't really been particularly consistent this season. The team clearly misses reserves Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, both of whom inked lucrative deals elsewhere following their NBA Finals success.
Minnesota will need all the shooting and defensive help it can get from its starters, but it will be especially intriguing to see how Reid, who was recently honored as the league's Sixth Man of the Year, is integrated into Finch's rotations.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Newsweek contributing writer Alex Kirschenbaum is a hoops fanatic who has managed to parlay his passion into a writing career. ... Read more
