Timberwolves’ Game 2 defense thrusts them into NBA championship conversation

DENVER — The championship-stamped level guard, the one Anthony Edwards referred to as the perfect nearer within the sport after he watched Jamal Murray twice lower the hearts out of the Los Angeles Lakers within the first spherical, is weakened. The kinesio tape and sleeve on his proper leg are doing their finest to carry collectively an aching calf that has taken a few of the burst out of his first step.

Some would see the Aristocracy in Murray’s insistence on enjoying by way of the damage, admiring his toughness and marveling at his significance to the Denver Nuggets. There is nothing sentimental in regards to the Minnesota Timberwolves defense. To them, that sleeve is an indication of vulnerability, a chance to sink their enamel into the defending champs. Murray is just too wounded prey to those Wolves, and early within the decisive second quarter of Game 2 on Monday night time, he had nowhere to run and nowhere to cover.

“It’s been our identity all year, a little bit like we smell blood in the water and things kind of accelerate,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch stated.

With Minnesota’s lead already 33-20 and the jaws beginning to lock, Murray grabbed a defensive rebound and turned to shift into offense mode. Nickeil Alexander-Walker received proper into his grill earlier than he took his first dribble, driving Murray’s left hip up the courtroom.

As he approached the midcourt line, the pack began to assemble. Jaden McDaniels left his man and Alexander-Walker was capable of pressure Murray to stumble as he tried to advance the ball. With his again to the Nuggets basket, and the remainder of his teammates out of his line of imaginative and prescient, McDaniels pounced on him.

Alexander-Walker might have peeled off to cowl one of many different Nuggets gamers to ensure they didn’t lose anyone on the fifth-ranked offense within the league. But Alexander-Walker might see that Murray was compromised, so he joined McDaniels on the hunt. Two of the perfect perimeter defenders within the league engulfed Murray, who writhed frenetically searching for an escape route.

“He’s in a straitjacket!” TNT announcer Kevin Harlan stated as he described the entanglement.

Murray was capable of do away with the ball, and he flailed his arms searching for a foul name to save lots of him, however the whistle by no means got here. It solely received tougher from there on a possession that ended with Peyton Watson capturing a nook 3-pointer off the facet of the backboard for a shot clock violation.

defensive possession of the 12 months by the league’s #1 rated defense all season. pic.twitter.com/xMB9MGK6SY

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 7, 2024

The scene seemed higher suited to National Geographic than TNT, a relentless devouring of an imperiled opponent. At that second, Murray wasn’t the crunchtime killer that he had been for therefore lengthy in Denver. He wasn’t one-half of the perfect two-man sport within the league with Nikola Jokić. He might barely get the ball over half courtroom.

(*2*) Alexander-Walker stated.

It served as each a microcosm of the season for a Timberwolves group that’s making defense related once more in a league that has been intoxicated by offense during the last decade, and a reckoning for the favored Nuggets. It additionally set the tone for a 106-80 victory that gave the Timberwolves a 2-0 lead within the collection, each victories coming in Denver, the place the Nuggets went 33-8 within the common season.

The Nuggets completed the common season with the fifth-best offensive ranking within the league and had been held beneath 90 factors 3 times. They have averaged 89.5 factors per sport within the first two video games of this collection. In Game 2, they made simply 35 p.c of their photographs, turned the ball over 19 instances and dedicated three shot-clock violations, unfathomable for what had been probably the most cohesive beginning 5 within the league.

“They punked us,” Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson stated. “They literally just manhandled us.”

The Timberwolves blocked 12 photographs, had 11 steals and compelled Murray into a 3 of 18 night time whereas holding MVP favourite Nikola Jokić to 16 factors on 13 photographs. Denver shot 38 p.c within the paint with the Timberwolves treating every shot try on the rim as a private insult.

“NAH” REID. pic.twitter.com/Am5xR7gbrc

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2024

And they did all of it with out the perfect defensive participant on their group. Rudy Gobert missed the sport to be together with his fiancée, who gave beginning to the couple’s first youngster on Monday morning within the Twin Cities. There was some dialogue about Gobert flying again to Denver for the sport, however excessive winds within the area resulted in flight delays for incoming planes, which difficult these journey plans.

The absence figured to open the door for the proud Nuggets after a 106-99 loss on their house flooring in Game 1. Surely, Jokić would feast on the Wolves defense with out the presumptive NBA Defensive Player of the Year there to gobble up rebounds and deter would-be penetrators.

The Wolves didn’t shrug their shoulders and present as much as Ball Arena pleased with their Game 1 win. The built-in excuse for a loss was proper there for use. Instead, lacking Gobert solely appeared to intensify their focus and power. This was an opportunity for them to point out that this defense is about greater than only one individual, even when that individual is the perfect defender on this planet. This was an opportunity to announce themselves as reliable championship contenders.

“Rudy’s driven the defensive culture here,” Finch stated. “I think it’s a testament to his impact, his presence and what he’s infused into the team, how important defense is and how great we can be when we play it.”

When the Wolves confirmed as much as coaching camp within the fall, they’d a gathering to debate what sort of group they needed to be. They had been coming off of a disappointing season through which they misplaced to those Nuggets within the first spherical of the playoffs, ending an underwhelming first 12 months for Gobert in Minnesota. It was in that assembly that Finch preached the significance of defense. That is the place the elite expertise was on this roster with Gobert, Edwards, Alexander-Walker and McDaniels main the way in which.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Reid had grow to be identified rather more for his or her offense in latest seasons, so a defensive declaration might have been seen as going towards what they do finest. But each gamers have dedicated to that finish of the ground, giving the whole lot they’ve to carry up their ends of the cut price on a group stuffed with stoppers.

Reid has accomplished a lot of his defensive harm on the perimeter this season, guarding smaller gamers in pick-and-roll and different actions that may be difficult for many 6-foot-9, 260-pound bigs. But he has embraced his position, working all summer season to quicken his toes and crystalize his understanding of the group’s defensive rules. All of that work paid off in Game 2 when he blocked 4 photographs, together with getting Jokić twice in a single possession.

“Definitely had to train my mindset to be defense first,” Reid stated. “My offensive game is what it is. But our identity is defense, and I have to take that sacrifice and become a defensive player.”

Towns was the No. 1 total draft choose in 2015 based mostly partly on his versatile offensive ability set, but additionally as a result of it was believed he might be an influence participant on the defensive finish.

In the primary eight seasons of his profession, Towns was identified rather more as an offensive participant. This season he has been extra attentive, extra instinctual and extra disciplined, although foul bother stays a difficulty.

He battled Jokić admirably all sport lengthy, additionally making him need to work when he was on defense. Towns scored 27 factors on 10-of-15 capturing to go along with a team-leading 12 rebounds.

9 QUICK PTS FOR 3️⃣2️⃣. pic.twitter.com/7f4y1R2EDN

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2024

But it was his defense on Jokić that made all of the distinction. Towns used his dimension and energy to physique Jokić, making it robust for him to get to his spots. He dedicated 4 fouls however was by no means in actual foul bother, one thing Edwards has been harping on him about within the playoffs.

“I always thought he was a great defensive player,” Edwards stated, sitting subsequent to his buddy KAT within the postgame information convention. “He just had to put his mind to it. When Finchy got here, man, Finchy put the emphasis on, ‘Hey, Ant and KAT, if we wanna go somewhere, we gotta defend.’ ”

The Timberwolves have regularly understood how their coach’s prodding was the proper method to go, and it has by no means been extra clear than of their first journey to the second spherical in 20 years. They took the Nuggets aside piece by piece on Monday night time.

In the primary quarter, once they knew that the officiating crew was going to let them play, Towns ran proper by way of Murray’s chest for a bucket and Edwards adopted by blasting by way of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for one more rating, leaving his Georgia buddy crumpled beneath the basket. That prompted coach Michael Malone to leap crew chief Marc Davis, unleashing a profanity-soaked tirade that by some means didn’t draw a technical foul.

In the second quarter, after NAW and McDaniels swarmed Murray into submission. The frustration prompted Murray to throw a warmth pack onto the courtroom whereas he was on the bench later within the interval, a transgression that might earn him vital self-discipline for Game 3.

In the third quarter, Aaron Gordon picked up a technical foul after stalking referee David Guthrie all through a timeout. Not as soon as this season have the Nuggets seemed this out of types. Injuries could also be enjoying a task, however the Wolves carry themselves as a group that is aware of its opponent is cooked.

Through two video games, the Nuggets have had no reply for Edwards, who had 27 factors and 7 assists in Game 2. Caldwell-Pope is just too small for him, and Gordon isn’t fast sufficient to remain in entrance of him.

😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/m2Ilgmmjai

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2024

Edwards began these playoffs saying he needed to “kill everything in front of me, man.” He began this collection by saying that he seen Caldwell-Pope, one other former Georgia Bulldogs participant, as a giant brother, however stated he was already attempting to “tear his head off.” His teammates have adopted that edge.

Finch all the time warns the Wolves that their playoff opponents will come again after losses with a vengeance and that Minnesota can’t lose sight of the truth that it wants 4 wins to advance. He all the time tells them to be prepared for the primary punch.

“I say, ‘We gonna punch, too,’ ” Edwards stated. “S—, they not the only one punchin’ in the fight.”

They are doing issues a brand new method, with toughness and defense in a league geared towards factors and capturing. It’s sufficient to stoke the fires within the icon of all icons in Wolves lore.

This is the defensive model of what the Warriors did for offense when the league wasn’t prepared! Defense that sells tickets!? 😤😤😤😤😤

— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) May 7, 2024

The Wolves constructed a 32-point lead, gorgeous the Ball Arena crowd. It was basically over within the second quarter, a 33-15 wipeout that put the Wolves up by 26 factors at halftime. The quarter began with NAW and McDaniels hounding Murray and ended with Mike Conley stripping Michael Porter Jr. on a drive to the basket, then flinging a lob move down the courtroom to a streaking Edwards for a dunk.

Immediately after the move, Conley was in celebration mode. He knew the Wolves had the Nuggets useless to rights and turned to let his teammates find out about it.

HOW’S THAT FOR ELEVATION??? pic.twitter.com/t1RfdckHAP

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2024

“I turned around and started yelling before he even dunked it,” Conley stated. “I think the bench felt that energy. That’s just who we have to be. I’m proud of us doing that tonight.”

The collection shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday night time. The area will likely be bought out, simply because it has been all season. They’re all coming to observe the Minnesota Timberwolves play defense.

(Photo of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jamal Murray: Bart Young / NBAE through Getty Images)