The Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray two-man game is one of the reasons why the Denver Nuggets' offense is so dominant. It's the primary reason why they have the top-ranked offense this season and are regularly a top-five offense.
As such, for the Minnesota Timberwolves, finding some way to limit this prolific two-man game will be essential. The keyword is limit because you'll never really be able to stop this two-man game.
Of course, that task is easier said than done, and frankly, it seems borderline impossible as this two-man game has been the most unstoppable source of offense in the NBA. The regular season stats are alarming, with both Jokic and Murray averaging 30-plus points against the Wolves.
When the Wolves upset the Nuggets two years ago, they significantly limited Murray. With Jaden McDaniels still defending at an elite level, I suppose this is a blueprint for Minnesota. Regardless, the Jokic-Murray two-man game has only gotten more unstoppable while the Wolves' defense around McDaniels has taken a slight step back. The Nuggets' improved shooting around Jokic and Murray makes things more complicated, as Minnesota can no longer double either player as much.
Stopping the Jokic-Murray two-man game will be a brutal task
What makes the Jokic-Murray two-man game so difficult to guard is its versatility. There's the classic pick-and-roll, which can open up an easy shot for Jokic near the basket or give Murray an advantage to either attack or pull up. Jokic can also pop out and hit a 3-pointer. Beyond that, Jokic's hand-offs also create openings for Murray to drive to the basket or drain a shot on the perimeter.
Given this optionality, you have to pick your poison when defending the Jokic-Murray two-man game. And spoiler alert, there's no great answer.
It's very telling that the Nuggets have lost at the hands of the league's best defense in back-to-back seasons. To this end, the Wolves will have to reach another gear defensively.
While we've seen the Wolves reach this gear in past years, they haven't been able to defend at a truly elite level this season. Simply put, that will have to change against Denver.
The Wolves still have plenty of defensive talent, though. In addition to McDaniels' aforementioned elite point-of-attack defense, Rudy Gobert is a fantastic pick-and-roll defender. Even still, the unpredictability of the Jokic-Murray two-man game will force Gobert to make difficult decisions, and if he's a second slow, it will lead to an open basket for Denver.
And what about when Rudy is off the court? How will the likes of Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Kyle Anderson defend against this two-man game? Anderson has the best shot, but he's not perfect. Considering the offensive limitations of Gobert and Anderson, it's possible that the Wolves will have to lean into Randle and Reid more, which is risky business against this duo.
All in all, in order to maximize their upset chances, the Wolves will have to find some way to limit the Jokic and Murray two-man game, which could prove to be a flat-out impossible task.
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