With Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo injured, and the Minnesota Timberwolves falling short to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5, it might be easy for some folks to panic. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic, and despite these devastating injuries, the Nuggets can't match Minnesota's blueprint to success.
Throughout the series, the Wolves' biggest advantage has been attacking the paint and hunting mismatches, as Jaden McDaniels candidly explained. Even without two integral starters, this is an advantage the Wolves still have. Likewise, their stifling defense against Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray has been vital to their success.
Now, the Wolves strayed away from their offensive game plan in Game 5. They scored a series low of 50 points in the paint. Without the shooting of Edwards and DiVincenzo, the Nuggets were able to pack the paint and cut off more driving lanes.
Still, now that the Wolves are more accustomed to this strategy, they should be able to figure out some counters. Cutting back on their 25 turnovers (many of which stemmed from careless mistakes) would be a great place to start.
If the Wolves can pressure the rim, they'll be well-positioned to win the series
In general, the Wolves' athleticism and speed are massive advantages against a slower Denver team. As such, if the Wolves can commit to attacking the rim and punishing any of the Nuggets' weak defenders, they have a clear path to winning.
Notably, the Wolves are shooting an impressive 68.5 percent at the rim while ranking third in the playoffs for rim frequency.
On the other side of the ball, Minnesota has found success in limiting Jokic and Murray. Despite Game 5 being their worst defensive showing of the series, they still held Murray to 9-for-23 shooting from the field. The biggest difference was that Jokic leaned into his playmaking more. If the Wolves can do a better job of limiting Denver's supporting cast, they'll be well-positioned to win.
Minnesota must close out on the Nuggets' shooters better, and limiting their turnovers on the other side of the ball would lead to fewer opportunities for Denver. And as mentioned, it will be crucial for the Wolves to find ways to break through the Nuggets' defense to get easy shots at the rim.
The bright side is that all of these things are doable.
In Game 4, Ayo Dosunmu showed that the Nuggets can't keep up with his speed and that he can provide high-level scoring. Ayo's 18-point showing in Game 5 wasn't as strong as hisotherworldly 43-point Game 4 performance, but it's clear he can pressure the Nuggets' defense a ton. Likewise for Jaden McDaniels, who has been giving the Nuggets fits all series. Julius Randle's blend of psychality and playmaking can further give the Wolves a leg up.
The point is that, despite the Wolves' injury woes and dropping Game 5, they still have a clear path to winning the series if they keep attacking the rim and exposing Denver's weak defenders.
If everything goes smoothly, the Wolves can close things out on Thursday night at the Target Center.
Add us as a preferred source on Google