The Nuggets finally know their Round 1 opponent, and the Wolves are solid

The Denver Nuggets' chase for their first-ever championship begins on Sunday and their first foe is the xxx

Apr 14, 2023, 10:09 PM

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

The Denver Nuggets’ chase for their first-ever world championship begins on Sunday and their first foe is the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Summary

The Minnesota Timberwolves went 42-40 this season led by offseason acquisition Rudy Gobert. The French bigman sat the first play-in game because he punched teammate Kyle Anderson during a timeout in the final game of the regular season. Gobert stepped up for the Wolves, who have struggled with injuries including to their best player, fellow big Karl-Anthony Towns. Minny also has a nice young possible star in Anthony Edwards and are point guarded by veteran former All-Star Mike Conley

Projected Starting Five

PG: Mike Conley
SG: Anthony Edwards
SF: Kyle Anderson
PF: Karl-Anthony Towns
C: Rudy Gobert

Star

Karl-Anthony Towns, BIG, 6-11, 29 GP, 20.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.8 APG, 50% FG/37% 3FG/87% FT

KAT is a sweet-shooting center who is coming off his worst season since he was a rookie in 2015. Towns was limited to 29 games due to a calf injury all the while trying to move from center to power forward with the addition of Gobert.

The Nuggets could use Michael Porter Jr. to defend KAT since they’re similar height-wise. KAT is much bigger and could take MPJ into the post but the Nuggets could help off of Gobert, who does not shoot, with Jokic or Aaron Gordon. KAT and Gobert’s height could make rebounding tough for the Nuggets.

X-factor: Ant

Edwards is the Wolves leading scorer, now up 25 points per game in his third season out of Georgia. At 6-4, 225 he’s huge and gets to the hole. Ant isn’t thought of as the best shooter, yet cashed 37% of his shots from deep this season but is inconsistent. The All-Star shot 0-9 from deep three in the Wolves first play-in game, scoring only nine points. But Edwards did shine in his first six career playoff games last season against Memphis, scoring 25 points, adding four rebounds and three assists a night in the six-game series while shooting 46% from the field and 40% from three. Edwards is a very good player and at any moment he could pop into one of the elite players in the league.

How the Nuggets can beat them

The Nuggets have more top-end talent, better depth and are better coached than the Wolves. With patience, the Wolves will beat themselves. But the Nuggets can beat Minny even if they don’t defeat themselves. Costly injuries Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels have cost the Wolves their useable size off the bench and their best defender. The Nuggets, who have one of the best offenses in the league should easily be able to cook the Wolves. Minny’s best hope is a Conley-Gobert pick and roll, something that already lost a 3-1 series lead to the Nuggets when the guard and big duo’d for the Jazz. Older and less skilled the Nuggets can attack that action and force perimeter shots from a team with very little spacing.

Another few things you should know

The Twin Cities have had a basketball team since 1989, they’ve only once made it out of the first round. The Wolves beat the Nuggets en route to a 2004 appearance in the conference finals led by Flip Saunders. His son, also a former head coach for the Wolves, is now part of Malone’s staff. Also on Denver’s bench is another former Wolves head coach’s son, David Adelman. Behind former Nuggets’ assistant and now Wolves head coach Chris Finch’s bench is former Nuggets executive Tim Connelly, who built most of Denver’s roster and bolted to Minnesota last summer. Connelly’s big move was for Gobert, which is currently looking like one of the worst trades in NBA history. But the Nuggets, who went 2-2 against the Wolves this season never faced them with both Rudy and KAT on the court.

Schedule

Game 1: Sun 4/16, Denver, 8:30 p.m.
Game 2: Wed 4/19, Denver, 8 p.m.
Game 3: Fri 4/21, xxx, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: Sun 4/23, xxx, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5: Tue 4/25*, Denver
Game 6: Thu 4/27*, xxx
Game 7: Sat 4/29*, Denver