The Denver Nuggets are in unfamiliar territory as they succumbed in the first game of their much-anticipated series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It is the first time since 2022 that they are trailing in a series, but the Nuggets are more than capable of bouncing back in Game 2. Anthony Edwards was phenomenal as he tallied 43 points on 17/29 shooting from the field, while Karl Anthony-Towns and Naz Reid played at a sensational level as well.
It has been a long time since Nikola Jokic did not look comfortable in the postseason as he committed seven turnovers and shot a measly 44% from the field. Jamal Murray was surrounded by lengthy and versatile wings throughout the night, and the role players were a no-show for the Nuggets. Head coach Michael Malone will implement critical adjustments for Monday night, and Denver must win before the series heads to Minnesota.
With the championship pedigree of the organization, these are the three most important adjustments for the Nuggets in Game 2.
Have a more well-rounded shot distribution
In Game 1, the Timberwolves had the prime focus on limiting everyone else and making Jokic commit a ton of shots for the whole contest. Jokic attempted 25 shots, Murray recorded 14 attempts, and Michael Porter Jr. tallied 13 shots. For the rest of the roster, there were no legitimate threats for Denver. Thus, it was easier for Minnesota to execute its defensive schemes due to the lack of offensive aggression on Denver's side.
Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope cannot attempt just a total of ten shots in almost a combined 70 minutes of play. During last year's championship run, there were vital instances wherein the ancillary pieces had a couple of fantastic games that catapulted them to the mountaintop. In Game 1, that was far from the case, so Malone must make a few tweaks in his rotation to maximize the talent of his guys.
Increase the difficulty of Edwards' shots
Monitoring the degree of difficulty of Edwards' attempts in Game 1 was a tough sight to see for the Nuggets fanbase. His repertoire has been amazing this year, but Denver must make it a point to make it harder for him to manufacture looks at the rim. Caldwell-Pope was the primary defender on Edwards, but Edwards cooked him by shooting 8/11 from the field when Caldwell-Pope was on him.
There were numerous instances throughout the night wherein Edwards was hunting for Murray or Jokic to switch onto him, and he continued his remarkable outing. Caldwell-Pope was successful in containing his scoring surge in the regular season, but the power and strength of Edwards has been spectacular in the postseason. Gordon can be an option to guard Edwards, but Malone will need to put a smaller man on Towns, so the adjustments will be a continuous process for both teams.
The bench must elevate their play
The Timberwolves have the Sixth Man of the Year in their roster, and they have a couple of more assets that are reliable when the starters are taking the breather. For Denver, losing Bruce Brown and Jeff Green will be felt the most in this series because of the deep unit of Minnesota.
Reggie Jackson and Christian Braun are capable of matching the production of the opponent's bench, so they will need to be maximized in Game 2. Jokic and Murray had a plethora of the ball-handling duties, and it likely took a toll on them in the second half. Jackson and Braun are two men who can bring down the ball for several possessions and contribute to various facets of the game as well.
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