The Minnesota Timberwolves have (finally) adopted a faster style of play, ranking 10th in pace and seventh in transition offense this season. In contrast to last year's ranking of 25th in pace and 19th in transition offense, this is a massive leap. Despite the Wolves dealing with other challenges, this new style of play should be a massive advantage against the Denver Nuggets.
Notably, Denver ranks 23rd in transition defense and 20th in pace. As such, it's possible that the Wolves' style of play will be a massive advantage, and it could ultimately be a key factor in a possible upset.
The Timberwolves' fast-paced style could make life difficult for the Nuggets
There have been a lot of factors that have gone into the Wolves' new playstyle. Undoubtedly, though, the emergence of Bones Hyland and the deadline addition of Ayo Dosunmu have been two key reasons behind this surging pace. The Wolves' bench ranks third in pace, highlighting the power of the Twin Turbos.
If the Wolves' starters come out sluggishly (which, God willing, should never happen in a playoff series), Ayo and Bones can pick up the energy. On the flip side, they can help the Wolves build big leads if the starters are clicking. It's unclear if Terrence Shannon Jr. will crack the Wolves' playoff rotation, but he is a perfect fit with this style and had a stellar finish to the regular season. Thus, he could be another factor for the Wolves' pace.
This, in tandem with Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels being prolific transition players, explains the power behind the Wolves' new identity.
For the Wolves to put themselves in the best position to pull off an upset, forcing turnovers and pushing the pace for easy scoring opportunities will be essential against a slower Nuggets team. Likewise, the Wolves will also have to make quick decisions in the halfcourt to maximize their ability to play with pace.
Last year, we saw the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers make the NBA Finals in part due to their fast style of play in the postseason.
If everything goes smoothly, there's no denying that the Wolves' pace will be an advantage against the Nuggets.
Despite Minnesota's clear advantages, the Nuggets' ability to take care of the ball will make things challenging. Notably, Denver commits just 12.9 turnovers per game, which is the third-best mark in the league.
Still, the Wolves have the personnel to be one of the most disruptive defenses in the league. We saw this against the Nuggets two years ago in the playoffs. Ultimately, if the Wolves pull off an upset, I think it will be connected to their fast pace and ability to score in transition.
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