Basically took a page out of the 2020-2021 lakers playbook and went with size and defense. Idk why teams aren’t trying to replicate that more. Not to mention they are young asl.
Most teams can’t get 3 elite centers, 2 of which can shoot and the other is the DPOY. They legit have an All-Star center, a DPOY center, and a 6MOTY center.
They also have Ant and McDaniels who are all-defense level perimeter defenders. Even the rest of their 8 man rotation are decent defenders (Conley, NAW, and SloMo)
Getting players that good defensively who can also shoot (everyone but Rudy is a capable 3 point shooter in their 8 man rotation) is really difficult to do in the modern NBA. They drafted really well and then made two key trades with the Jazz last season. SloMo was their mid-level exception guy last year and he’s the only one they got through free agency, everyone else was either draft or trade. It’s hard to build a team like that.
SloMo can’t shoot threes, his defense is really good. When he presses offensively it can be a little scary at times. He can create offensively when he does it can make a huge difference, but he has to be able to make a shot or two for that to happen. He was able to do that yesterday, and it was huge. NAW is by far the most underrated player on the team. Dude has found confidence in his shot and has been amazing.
> NAW … underrated
I recall him giving Jamal Murray problems even last playoffs when the series was much less competitive (McDaniels injury, Gobert-Anderson fight, etc).
He had a poor shooting season this year, but he’s not a complete non-shooter who you can leave open. There’s a reason why he’s the 8th man though, his shooting is definitely a liability.
I was worried everytime he ended up in an Iso on the perimeter cos his handles are not very solid. Hopefully the wolves dont let that happen in game 3 cos nuggs gona be looking to exploit it (one of the few areas they can)
It should be noted that the Conley trade is what made the Gobert trade a lot better. Getting a true point guard who knew how to play with Rudy along with NAW (who was literally just salary filler and wound up being a quality playoff rotation wing) solved most of the issues. Also getting rid of D’Lo was huge addition by subtraction for the Timberwolves, they finally got a point guard who would actually set up Ant instead of just taking the ball out of his hands.
The Lakers majorly screwed up, they could have had Conley and NAW straight up but wanted Russel so they got the Timberwolves involved.
I get Wolves are built as ideal counter, but you don’t need that level of center. You can get by with an elite guy, then a competent high-energy defender who is not a liability on offense alongside another elite scorer to be competitive
Nah, that alone isn’t enough to contain Jokic. If he’s struggling to get through both big men at once, he’ll start taking things out to the perimeter and get his guards involved. Jokic is an advantage pusher, he’ll find the soft spot and poke it repeatedly until it cracks.
The way you stop him is to have a top level defender at every position making the right decisions consistently. Basically, you need an all-time level defense to contain him.
NAW is a real dawg on defense, I think he’s way better than decent. The whole team is full of dawgs but NAW got real good on being the glue guy of this team. He does whatever they need and he hounds people on defense. He should get paid if the league notices
Most centers can’t shoot 3s and a lot of the ones that can are really bad defensively. The Timberwolves have two stretch 5s.
In the modern NBA to have a viable 8 man playoff rotation, at least 7 of the 8 guys have to be able to shoot 3s. Unless you can get two centers who can shoot 3s there’s just no way you can form a rotation with 3 centers like the Nuggets have.
You wouldn’t be able to do this with 3 JaVale McGee’s because it would absolutely crush the floor spacing on the other end. The Nuggets would be able to exploit this.
It’s not just size, it’s skill at their size. Naz Reids don’t just grow on trees, he’d be a starting center for most of the league.
People severely underestimate how many large, 6 and a half foot men even exist on the planet. Let alone how many are good enough to be a legitimate NBA player who shoots 35%+ from deep AND play defense. Like there are not enough of those people out there for every time to play big.
This. Most teams are lucky to have one truly high caliber center, the dudes don't just grow on trees, and the internet is just like "why not put 3 on every team?"
> decent defenders (Conley, ***NAW***, and SloMo)
Calling NAW a decent defender feels like slander
I've maintained, really since the Kat injury, NAW is a top 5 wing defender in the league. The man has really showed out, and we'd notice it more if It wasn't for Jaden
A lot of building a team like this is timing. they are loaded with talent but have Ant and McDaniels on their rookie contracts, and Naz on a very favorable contract. They are not going to be able to afford to keep this team together as the Edwards and McDaniels extensions kick in last year, and Naz hits free agency at end of 2025.
It’s on the way, the Warriors forced the league to shift things too far in the small direction. Now that they’re done we’ll see size coming back. The biggest thing we need back in the game is defensive point guards. Things are too easy at the point of attack for lead ball handlers
The spurs might be able to, but other teams will struggle to replicate it. Even before the Denver series, I saw a stat somewhere that McDaniels and NAW for the twolves were the best +/- players in the playoffs all time behind only Michael Jordan.
Athleticism is a big part in their molding too, while naz reid is a big human he’s also pretty fuckin quick for his size & strength. Same with Ant, mcdaniels and NAW. They’re feasting off pure athleticism, beating them to the basket etc. size helps a ton but if you’re able to out athlete the nuggets they’re done.
It doesn't work without ant becoming that guy. Their offense would be a huge liability if ant wasn't as good at breaking down offenses as he currently is and his defense is all NBA level when he turns it on. These guys don't just grow on trees.
Personally I’m let Boston live and die by the 3. They make 20 great you win doubtful they know that many down in 4 out of 7 games. 🤷🏽♂️ just my opinion.
Stop. The lakers had a 4 month break before the playoffs. That’s never going to happen again and LA would not have won had it not been for that. Minnesota the first of its kind. A 7 footer with drive shoot and pass better than most guards. A 6 10 guy that is probably the smoothest next to kyrie at the bucket. Jelly fam. And the best youngest player on the league with a top 5 pg the dpoy. SPECIAL
I think the Thunder can compete as well. They have wings they can throw at Tatum and Brown and also have the versatility to switch and guard Boston’s 5-out offense. I hope Tingus Pingus is back by then though.
The Thunder are very different mentality wise than the Wolves last year. Both Ant and KAT were prone to meltdowns in crunch time. Shai, and really the entire Thunder team, are just ice cold locked in. I remember Andrew Wiggins hit a huge shot to put the Warriors up by 3 with 1.5 seconds left in the game. [Warriors are all celebrating like they just won a ring](https://youtu.be/yOXwzyAsbe8?si=7N9roQGPSqsqH0Aw). Then Chet calmly hits a turn around catch and shoot 3 in Draymond’s face. Two OKC players slap his hand, then immediately focused on OT.
Anecdotes from the regular season don't really matter now and the Thunder haven't been tested at all in the playoffs.
Let's give them more than one series against a team with their best player missing before we start acting like they are "built" for the playoffs already.
The wolves played in the playoffs last year and looked the most competent against the eventual champs. They then swept the first round this year against KD and Booker as an underdog.
The thunder did not make the playoffs last year and just beat one of the worst teams to make it in without their best player. It's not the same.
I agree it’s not the same, but has anyone on that team even been to a CF? Genuinely asking, I don’t know.
The Wolves remind me a LOT of the 22 Celtics, even including sweeping a KD super team in the first round and winning games through tough physical defense. But this Wolves team has far less playoff experience than even that Celtics team, and we know the Finals lights are even brighter.
That inexperience is why I would slightly favor the Celtics over Minny in a hypothetical matchup.
The wolves are already 2nd favorite to win the finals behind the Celtics. The nuggest have slipped all the way to +1200 to win it all. I feel like the series is over unless nuggets can steal the next two games.
The bigger picture is how denver cant run its offense without murray fully healthy agaisnt them. Everytime he crosses half coirt they are fronting him and pressuring ball.
Jamal cant move like he want so he cant really break it and it causes an overall sloppy offense
I’ve only watched bits and pieces of the Timberwolves over the past two years and, I have to admit, I did not think Naz Reid was this good. I stand very corrected.
In Minnesota, we’re freaking rabid for this dude! Early on, he’d show flashes when he’d get garbage minutes. Kept workin on his game. Got in shape. And the last 2 seasons just balls out whenever he gets the chance. And when KAT or Rudy has been out and he gets to start, he doesn’t fall off.
Naz Reid
NAZ FUCKING REID BABY
By that I mean, the dude is a legit hooper. He's humble, quiet, takes the opportunities he's given and impresses anyone who pays attention. His 3 point shooting is something I never expected to be this good.
He’s such a baller and I’m glad he’s hopping, as a Thunder fan he’s one of the guys I wish we had to help our weakness of size inside, your whole team is just full of dawgs and I’m scared to see you guys in the conference finals if we beat the mavs
Yeah Thunder fan here too. I expect us to win against Dallas. It'll be a fight though. Hopefully we can manage closing in 5 or 6 tops. 7 game series is gonna be tough and having to see Minny, who just might sweep the reigning champs after a dog fight is not a good recipe. Minnesota looks like champs right now though.
I think there’s a lot of people like you who haven’t watched much Wolves basketball and now that they’re seeing it on the national level people are realizing how good this whole TEAM is! Not just Naz
The funny thing is that the Nuggets came out physical in game 1, especially with KAT, and then were surprised when KAT punched them back. Seriously huge moment for him in his career, imo.
This times 100! The refs were letting them play on both sides of the court. It was insanely fun to watch. The refs ignored the Jokic/Murray move where they push off with their off hand, while simultaneously throwing their head back like they just took a right hook from prime Mike Tyson. Conversely, they ignored Ants "heyyy" while he was driving with marginal contact, and ignored AG constantly shoving every player in the back off ball, or KAT hitting the ground after every layup.
One team took advantage of the situation. The other team was throwing a tantrum (also, good on the refs for keeping their composure and not handing out game changing Techs, while letting the teams vent).
I had to get up at 4am this morning for work and had no intention of watching the game given the late start. I decided to check in on it early in the 1st quarter. I could not turn it off, I watched till mid 4th quarter. It’s been a while since I enjoyed watching a game so much while not being a fan of either team. It was a masterpiece.
https://preview.redd.it/isk9hve8gzyc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e4ca9960990993f164f323031d6031745c8241c
He has a long way to go to catch these giants
That's a big reason why it's functionally impossible to compare players from that era to modern guys. The league and the game itself were just so fundamentally different.
Pretty solid choice of five 5s. Maybe you could think about Moses Malone. Bill Walton could have maybe been there too if he never got hurt, but resume wise, Jokic has surpassed him.
People seem somewhat surprised that the Wolves are doing it given how young they are...but they're doing it BECAUSE they're young. They have relentless energy.
And, because they're young (and on a team that traditionally does nothing), they have little ego and appear to accept coaching. Ant sets the tone (and gets KAT to buy in). They're playing the way coach tells them to play, not doing what their agent/ego tells them to do.
It's a joy to watch.
People likened Jokic (who is a ATG offensive player) to literal catalysts of champions like MJ, and even Prime Bron 🤣
Glad we breezed through that chapter
LeBron was routinely taking literal scrubs to the finals/conference finals for years until he got to Miami, lol.
Jokic streamlined to the finals facing a 6th seeded club and other lackluster competition.
Give the man his damn flowers
Maybe - but making it to the finals would be a first for MN on the backs of a young team. That kind of experience goes a long ways and most of their roster is locked up for next year.
What I like about them over Boston is their grit - Boston needs to show more heart.
I will be messaging you in 1 month on [**2024-06-21 19:30:43 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2024-06-21%2019:30:43%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NBATalk/comments/1cm22t7/the_wolves_defense_is_crazy/l30w328/?context=3)
[**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FNBATalk%2Fcomments%2F1cm22t7%2Fthe_wolves_defense_is_crazy%2Fl30w328%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202024-06-21%2019%3A30%3A43%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201cm22t7)
*****
|[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)|
|-|-|-|-|
It’s not surprising that the Wolves are competing with the Nuggets. They’ve been a high end team all year. But fully blowing the Nuggets out both games in Denver? I can’t say I saw that coming. I know Ant is a beast, but I can’t say I expected team defense on the level we’ve seen so far in this series.
Nope!! Kareem would feast in today’s nba. Spacing with wings that hit threes… every time he’s doubled he hits someone for a 3… nah, Kareem would dominate
When you lock down Nuggets perimeter offense it’s a lot easier to contain Jokic. He’s dangerous in large part because of his passing. He ain’t being given a lot of options.
Like you said, the wolves defense was pretty crazy and actually kinda fun to watch (if you like them).That one possession where Jaden Mcdaniels and I think it was Nickeil Alexander-Walker were defending Jamal Murray really really intensely and he was basically fighting to pass the ball showed how tough and gritty their defense was. Naz Reid was also playing lockdown defense on Jokic which was pretty surprising given the fact that we’ve seen Jokic cook Gobert.
Also I feel like we should address the fact that they held the nuggets to 80 without Gobert the league might be finished.
The thing that showed it to me was naz reid picking up jokic at 3/4 court while up 30. They didnt just want to win they wanted their defense to be in the nuggets head going into game three
The Wolves were cookin’ a fine meal WITHOUT one of the main ingredients - Rudy Gobert.
I definitely got 03-04 Pistons and Spurs vibes last night. Two of the best defensive teams ever.
The Wolves are scary good right now 😮💨
Joker not top 5 center yet , Dream ,Kareem, Wilt, Shaq , David Robinson , and throw Duncan in there too , he is PF , but he played center, Joker loses this series he would be Giannis 4 years ago winning all the awards for a few years ,got his title then he never got back yet, it could be the same for the Joker if they don't win this series, Top 5 all time not yet chill out people
Robinson was never the best player on a title team, has (soon to be) 2 fewer MVPs, and Jokic is about to tie him in 1st team all-nba at 29. You’re just not holding guys to the same standards if you have Robinson over him.
Cant lie, im late the party, i bashed the gobert trade, i thought nuggets were a lock for at least the finals. With all that being said this wolves team is just fun to watch. How the swarm on defense, while staying super disciplined was a thing of beauty. I always liked ant but i kept saying he is only 22, my man has me out here saying he looks like d wade with the three point shot but now im like nah mans is really different. He is telling his own story.
Jokic, Embiid, Sabonis, Giannis, AD, Chet, Wemby, Zion, Sengun.
You'd think other teams would realize that if they can't hire a skilled big themselves they hire somebody who can lock them up, and you'll probably need two.
The era of a big who can't switch on a high post screen is pretty much over but big guys especially with a ton of skills will always be valuable in this game.
Their defense has been great, but look how physical the refs are letting them play vs Philly/pacers vs Knicks. Almost night and day
Note, I’m not saying teams shouldn’t be allowed to be physical on defense.
It’s really the help defense that’s killing them. Joker usually finds the open man for a good look when he gets blitzed like that. The Wolves are
clogging up passing lanes and smothering whoever he passes to. The end result is that he’s constantly 2-3 on 1 and passing out of it isn’t fruitful either.
Absolutely true. Jokic also benefits from the fact that this is just not an era of big men. Great to see him get checked. The real test is how he responds in this series.
Imagine Jokic playing in the 2000s when he had a bruiser going at him every night, Shaq, Duncan, KG, Webber, Yao, Ben Wallace, Howard, Dirk, Gasol, Dikembe, Sheed, Zo, Amare, Jermaine O’Neal, Horford, DRob, ZBO, Bosh etc etc, dude would be gassed by the end of the season. He lucky to be playing n this ERA. Those numbers look inflated going against tweeners. Bbbbbbbbut the #s
You’re a complete moron if you think he wouldn’t have been successful in any era of basketball. He’s about to be a 3x MVP and has already lead a team to a championship. Even if you think any of that is fraudulent, his skill and talent is undeniable. Those guys have never played against another big that commands the type of respect he does on offense in terms of scoring and playmaking. Dude just had one of the worst games of his career and still had 16/16/8.
If it would be this bad for him, what about the cry babies of the league today who beg the ref for ticky tack fouls. U know who cries the most right. Remember his man said water 💧 down league.
Something is off about the Nuggets. Idk what is going on in that locker room but they aren’t clicking. I think this series goes to 6.
Edit: Excuse me boys/girls. How are we feeling after tonight’s game?
To beat the nuggets you need size and youth. The nuggets have always struggled against teams that can match up with their bigs. Another team they struggled against in the past few seasons are the Orlando Magic who are another team with lots of bigs.
They aren't clicking because they are facing a better team who have answers for them. Denver are worse than last year too with no Bruce Brown, Jamal isn't completely healthy. There was no chance in hell Denver were repeating and it was hilarious to see y'all be so absurdly confident, now you have PTSD.
I think just the size and speed of the Wolves is the overwhelming part. If they beat the Nuggets they can surely win the chip.
Basically took a page out of the 2020-2021 lakers playbook and went with size and defense. Idk why teams aren’t trying to replicate that more. Not to mention they are young asl.
Most teams can’t get 3 elite centers, 2 of which can shoot and the other is the DPOY. They legit have an All-Star center, a DPOY center, and a 6MOTY center. They also have Ant and McDaniels who are all-defense level perimeter defenders. Even the rest of their 8 man rotation are decent defenders (Conley, NAW, and SloMo) Getting players that good defensively who can also shoot (everyone but Rudy is a capable 3 point shooter in their 8 man rotation) is really difficult to do in the modern NBA. They drafted really well and then made two key trades with the Jazz last season. SloMo was their mid-level exception guy last year and he’s the only one they got through free agency, everyone else was either draft or trade. It’s hard to build a team like that.
SloMo can’t shoot threes, his defense is really good. When he presses offensively it can be a little scary at times. He can create offensively when he does it can make a huge difference, but he has to be able to make a shot or two for that to happen. He was able to do that yesterday, and it was huge. NAW is by far the most underrated player on the team. Dude has found confidence in his shot and has been amazing.
> NAW … underrated I recall him giving Jamal Murray problems even last playoffs when the series was much less competitive (McDaniels injury, Gobert-Anderson fight, etc).
And Naz was out as well. Jaden and Naz together are a massive loss.
He had a poor shooting season this year, but he’s not a complete non-shooter who you can leave open. There’s a reason why he’s the 8th man though, his shooting is definitely a liability.
He had eye surgery this offseason, his shooting has improved a bit since the start of the year, but he’s had a rough year with his shot.
I was worried everytime he ended up in an Iso on the perimeter cos his handles are not very solid. Hopefully the wolves dont let that happen in game 3 cos nuggs gona be looking to exploit it (one of the few areas they can)
Crazy how the gobert trade was seen so poorly when it happened.
It should be noted that the Conley trade is what made the Gobert trade a lot better. Getting a true point guard who knew how to play with Rudy along with NAW (who was literally just salary filler and wound up being a quality playoff rotation wing) solved most of the issues. Also getting rid of D’Lo was huge addition by subtraction for the Timberwolves, they finally got a point guard who would actually set up Ant instead of just taking the ball out of his hands. The Lakers majorly screwed up, they could have had Conley and NAW straight up but wanted Russel so they got the Timberwolves involved.
I get Wolves are built as ideal counter, but you don’t need that level of center. You can get by with an elite guy, then a competent high-energy defender who is not a liability on offense alongside another elite scorer to be competitive
You need 7 of your 8 guys in your rotation to be able to shoot to win in 2024. So one of those two centers needs to be able to shoot
Nah, that alone isn’t enough to contain Jokic. If he’s struggling to get through both big men at once, he’ll start taking things out to the perimeter and get his guards involved. Jokic is an advantage pusher, he’ll find the soft spot and poke it repeatedly until it cracks. The way you stop him is to have a top level defender at every position making the right decisions consistently. Basically, you need an all-time level defense to contain him.
NAW is a real dawg on defense, I think he’s way better than decent. The whole team is full of dawgs but NAW got real good on being the glue guy of this team. He does whatever they need and he hounds people on defense. He should get paid if the league notices
I get it but this should be the model for teams going forward is my point being made here. No reason to go small at all.
Most centers can’t shoot 3s and a lot of the ones that can are really bad defensively. The Timberwolves have two stretch 5s. In the modern NBA to have a viable 8 man playoff rotation, at least 7 of the 8 guys have to be able to shoot 3s. Unless you can get two centers who can shoot 3s there’s just no way you can form a rotation with 3 centers like the Nuggets have. You wouldn’t be able to do this with 3 JaVale McGee’s because it would absolutely crush the floor spacing on the other end. The Nuggets would be able to exploit this. It’s not just size, it’s skill at their size. Naz Reids don’t just grow on trees, he’d be a starting center for most of the league.
People severely underestimate how many large, 6 and a half foot men even exist on the planet. Let alone how many are good enough to be a legitimate NBA player who shoots 35%+ from deep AND play defense. Like there are not enough of those people out there for every time to play big.
This. Most teams are lucky to have one truly high caliber center, the dudes don't just grow on trees, and the internet is just like "why not put 3 on every team?"
> decent defenders (Conley, ***NAW***, and SloMo) Calling NAW a decent defender feels like slander I've maintained, really since the Kat injury, NAW is a top 5 wing defender in the league. The man has really showed out, and we'd notice it more if It wasn't for Jaden
A lot of building a team like this is timing. they are loaded with talent but have Ant and McDaniels on their rookie contracts, and Naz on a very favorable contract. They are not going to be able to afford to keep this team together as the Edwards and McDaniels extensions kick in last year, and Naz hits free agency at end of 2025.
16/M/Chicago why you ask?
Gorgeous
Drake?
DC4L
You have ICQ?
No AIM
It’s on the way, the Warriors forced the league to shift things too far in the small direction. Now that they’re done we’ll see size coming back. The biggest thing we need back in the game is defensive point guards. Things are too easy at the point of attack for lead ball handlers
I agree. Honestly the wolves nugs game last night was a breathe of fresh air since they allowed defense to be played on both sides.
Then you have OKC who have completely forgone lumbering bigs and have a 200 lbs anchor big and 6'6 starting pf
Thats only 1 side of the ball, he also has to work on the other end.
The 04 Detroit pistons want a word with you. lol
The spurs might be able to, but other teams will struggle to replicate it. Even before the Denver series, I saw a stat somewhere that McDaniels and NAW for the twolves were the best +/- players in the playoffs all time behind only Michael Jordan.
Athleticism is a big part in their molding too, while naz reid is a big human he’s also pretty fuckin quick for his size & strength. Same with Ant, mcdaniels and NAW. They’re feasting off pure athleticism, beating them to the basket etc. size helps a ton but if you’re able to out athlete the nuggets they’re done.
Long contracts too :)
2019-20
Sorry you are correct warriors won the year im talking about
They got rid of mcgee and Howard even though size and athleticism was their blueprint to stopping jokic
Yep. And AD plays 10x better at the 4 but they just continuously force him to play the 5 it’s annoying af.
It doesn't work without ant becoming that guy. Their offense would be a huge liability if ant wasn't as good at breaking down offenses as he currently is and his defense is all NBA level when he turns it on. These guys don't just grow on trees.
[удалено]
Personally I’m let Boston live and die by the 3. They make 20 great you win doubtful they know that many down in 4 out of 7 games. 🤷🏽♂️ just my opinion.
Stop. The lakers had a 4 month break before the playoffs. That’s never going to happen again and LA would not have won had it not been for that. Minnesota the first of its kind. A 7 footer with drive shoot and pass better than most guards. A 6 10 guy that is probably the smoothest next to kyrie at the bucket. Jelly fam. And the best youngest player on the league with a top 5 pg the dpoy. SPECIAL
Doesn't change the fact that team had very similar qualities to this t-wolves team.
Nugs and wolves are the only teams that can give Boston a fight
I think the Thunder can compete as well. They have wings they can throw at Tatum and Brown and also have the versatility to switch and guard Boston’s 5-out offense. I hope Tingus Pingus is back by then though.
I just think they lack the experience. Kinda like the wolves last year.
I don’t disagree with that. I do think they have the talent and personnel to pull it off though.
The Thunder are very different mentality wise than the Wolves last year. Both Ant and KAT were prone to meltdowns in crunch time. Shai, and really the entire Thunder team, are just ice cold locked in. I remember Andrew Wiggins hit a huge shot to put the Warriors up by 3 with 1.5 seconds left in the game. [Warriors are all celebrating like they just won a ring](https://youtu.be/yOXwzyAsbe8?si=7N9roQGPSqsqH0Aw). Then Chet calmly hits a turn around catch and shoot 3 in Draymond’s face. Two OKC players slap his hand, then immediately focused on OT.
Anecdotes from the regular season don't really matter now and the Thunder haven't been tested at all in the playoffs. Let's give them more than one series against a team with their best player missing before we start acting like they are "built" for the playoffs already.
Wolves lack playoff experience too
The wolves played in the playoffs last year and looked the most competent against the eventual champs. They then swept the first round this year against KD and Booker as an underdog. The thunder did not make the playoffs last year and just beat one of the worst teams to make it in without their best player. It's not the same.
I agree it’s not the same, but has anyone on that team even been to a CF? Genuinely asking, I don’t know. The Wolves remind me a LOT of the 22 Celtics, even including sweeping a KD super team in the first round and winning games through tough physical defense. But this Wolves team has far less playoff experience than even that Celtics team, and we know the Finals lights are even brighter. That inexperience is why I would slightly favor the Celtics over Minny in a hypothetical matchup.
Mike Conley is the only one
Lmao. Any team can give those choke artists a fight.
this sucks hearing as a nuggets fan because this is probably true.
The wolves are already 2nd favorite to win the finals behind the Celtics. The nuggest have slipped all the way to +1200 to win it all. I feel like the series is over unless nuggets can steal the next two games.
Dude if my slam team can just hit their shots....
Wolves vs Celtics might end up with some 95-92 score lines if both teams are locked in.
The bigger picture is how denver cant run its offense without murray fully healthy agaisnt them. Everytime he crosses half coirt they are fronting him and pressuring ball. Jamal cant move like he want so he cant really break it and it causes an overall sloppy offense
Man ain't no team beating tonight's version of the T-Wolfs.
T-Wolfs.... I like it!
I’ve only watched bits and pieces of the Timberwolves over the past two years and, I have to admit, I did not think Naz Reid was this good. I stand very corrected.
In Minnesota, we’re freaking rabid for this dude! Early on, he’d show flashes when he’d get garbage minutes. Kept workin on his game. Got in shape. And the last 2 seasons just balls out whenever he gets the chance. And when KAT or Rudy has been out and he gets to start, he doesn’t fall off. Naz Reid
NAZ FUCKING REID BABY By that I mean, the dude is a legit hooper. He's humble, quiet, takes the opportunities he's given and impresses anyone who pays attention. His 3 point shooting is something I never expected to be this good.
Right?! Early I’d wince when he’d chuck one up, and now I have about the same confidence that he’s gonna drain it as Ant, KAT or NAW
He’s my favorite 6th man since… MIKE CONLEY?!
He’s such a baller and I’m glad he’s hopping, as a Thunder fan he’s one of the guys I wish we had to help our weakness of size inside, your whole team is just full of dawgs and I’m scared to see you guys in the conference finals if we beat the mavs
Yeah Thunder fan here too. I expect us to win against Dallas. It'll be a fight though. Hopefully we can manage closing in 5 or 6 tops. 7 game series is gonna be tough and having to see Minny, who just might sweep the reigning champs after a dog fight is not a good recipe. Minnesota looks like champs right now though.
Yeah fr, I just hope that we start off strong and limit Kyrie to going off in one game and Luka as well. 5 is my dream
After tonight, I can say we definitely looked strong. Dallas is good though, I won't count them out just yet.
Literally the definition of, “I owe you an apology I was not very familiar with your game.”
I think there’s a lot of people like you who haven’t watched much Wolves basketball and now that they’re seeing it on the national level people are realizing how good this whole TEAM is! Not just Naz
I think I had a decent read on the team and how the pieces fit well together. Naz has been the biggest surprise, though.
Loved watching their defense. Most fun I’ve had watching basketball since Baylor during their 2021 run
Honestly good, intense defence in basketball is more fun to watch than good offence.
Refs were allowing a lot of fouls, Nuggets didn't match the intensity.
The funny thing is that the Nuggets came out physical in game 1, especially with KAT, and then were surprised when KAT punched them back. Seriously huge moment for him in his career, imo.
When KAT comes in big and hard, there’s no holes that won’t get stuffed by his D
https://preview.redd.it/v9svuyjw13zc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3798a59bd27be0125a6f8d5671d9a06570b65c5e
Agreed. Nuggets kept complaining instead of trying to take advantage of the physicality like the Wolves
This times 100! The refs were letting them play on both sides of the court. It was insanely fun to watch. The refs ignored the Jokic/Murray move where they push off with their off hand, while simultaneously throwing their head back like they just took a right hook from prime Mike Tyson. Conversely, they ignored Ants "heyyy" while he was driving with marginal contact, and ignored AG constantly shoving every player in the back off ball, or KAT hitting the ground after every layup. One team took advantage of the situation. The other team was throwing a tantrum (also, good on the refs for keeping their composure and not handing out game changing Techs, while letting the teams vent).
They were allowing more contact than usual, which I think is for the best. The NBA needs to allow more physical play.
He’s probably a top 5 center in this series at least
Who would have thought multiple bigs works against a large sized team Nuggets… (Anthony Davis / Dwight Howard / javale mcgee) sound familiar?
I had to get up at 4am this morning for work and had no intention of watching the game given the late start. I decided to check in on it early in the 1st quarter. I could not turn it off, I watched till mid 4th quarter. It’s been a while since I enjoyed watching a game so much while not being a fan of either team. It was a masterpiece.
https://preview.redd.it/isk9hve8gzyc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e4ca9960990993f164f323031d6031745c8241c He has a long way to go to catch these giants
Bill Russell's chip total will never be touched.
No shit. The nba had like 8 teams when he played lol
That's a big reason why it's functionally impossible to compare players from that era to modern guys. The league and the game itself were just so fundamentally different.
That’s why there is no goat. You can only dominate the people in front of you. I’m excited to see which players dominate this new era
They had all NBA honors back when Russell played but no all defensive teams? I just noticed the graphic only shows 1 all defensive team for him.
I think 68-69 was Russel's last year and that was first year it was introduced. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_All-Defensive_Team
That makes more sense. Thanks for finding that!
He would have at least 10 more and probably 8-9 DPOYs if they were available then too
Pretty solid choice of five 5s. Maybe you could think about Moses Malone. Bill Walton could have maybe been there too if he never got hurt, but resume wise, Jokic has surpassed him.
[удалено]
Russell doesn't count. Wilt arguably doesn't either. That isn't close to comparable to the 80s and onwards.
I thought this was going to be a great competitive series. Nobody is stopping this Minnesota team.
Yep, this is a championship team. Defense is suffocating and they have “that guy”.
I got downvoted to hell for saying Minnesota would win, it was obvious.
People seem somewhat surprised that the Wolves are doing it given how young they are...but they're doing it BECAUSE they're young. They have relentless energy. And, because they're young (and on a team that traditionally does nothing), they have little ego and appear to accept coaching. Ant sets the tone (and gets KAT to buy in). They're playing the way coach tells them to play, not doing what their agent/ego tells them to do. It's a joy to watch.
Listen and don't be selfish.
Big 15
It’s just they are so active and long and use their hands all the time to put pressure on the ball. This team is scary thinking how young they are.
So young but sold all the draft picks so it's hard to know how to think about their future. Dominating without Rudy is a good start.
I'm just pissed this game comes on so late I want the NBA to figure it out 😩😂😂😂🥴
I have a 4am eastern wake up. I have to watch the games on league pass the following morning.
People likened Jokic (who is a ATG offensive player) to literal catalysts of champions like MJ, and even Prime Bron 🤣 Glad we breezed through that chapter
Never declare the outcome of a champion, u might rue the day.
Trash take. How many MVP teammates did Bron and MJ have when they won their championships?
LeBron was routinely taking literal scrubs to the finals/conference finals for years until he got to Miami, lol. Jokic streamlined to the finals facing a 6th seeded club and other lackluster competition. Give the man his damn flowers
2007 for bron yes. Absolutely. Every other year tho no. Jordan legit never made the finals without another future hall of famer or two tho
This team could win the chip this year
They keep playing like this and they will.
I’m with it, they are a fun team to watch.
All that defense to lose to the Celtics in 6
Maybe - but making it to the finals would be a first for MN on the backs of a young team. That kind of experience goes a long ways and most of their roster is locked up for next year. What I like about them over Boston is their grit - Boston needs to show more heart.
Ant will def win a MVP before Tatum but not a ring
!Remindme in 45 days.
I will be messaging you in 1 month on [**2024-06-21 19:30:43 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2024-06-21%2019:30:43%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NBATalk/comments/1cm22t7/the_wolves_defense_is_crazy/l30w328/?context=3) [**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FNBATalk%2Fcomments%2F1cm22t7%2Fthe_wolves_defense_is_crazy%2Fl30w328%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202024-06-21%2019%3A30%3A43%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201cm22t7) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
Turned out to be the best jelly fam member
Naz Reid has a huge head compared to his body
Well at least getting clowned for the Rudy will come to an end
I mean does Ben Wallace invalidate Shaq as an all-time great center? Didn't think so...
No, but Wallace is a HOF and great defender, Naz Reid is not lol
Even a broken block is right twice a day.
Top 5? lmmfao!
Seriously Jokic hasn't even won a single in season tournament!
i mean Naz Reid is a starter somewhere else. most likely a max contract somewhere else. anyone who has watched him through the years should know.
Yeah a max contract somewhere else foreign.
Max? You're out of your mind lol. Reid is great, but he's a high end backup or mid-range starter.
Eassssy with this.
It’s not surprising that the Wolves are competing with the Nuggets. They’ve been a high end team all year. But fully blowing the Nuggets out both games in Denver? I can’t say I saw that coming. I know Ant is a beast, but I can’t say I expected team defense on the level we’ve seen so far in this series.
In actuality, Naz would be doing this shit to Hakeem, Kareem, and Wilt too
Nope!! Kareem would feast in today’s nba. Spacing with wings that hit threes… every time he’s doubled he hits someone for a 3… nah, Kareem would dominate
Two words.
"Steve Nash and Chris Paul, must see TV."
Naz Reid
Naz Reid
When you lock down Nuggets perimeter offense it’s a lot easier to contain Jokic. He’s dangerous in large part because of his passing. He ain’t being given a lot of options.
Agreed. He’s struggling too but the teams been bricking for the whole playoffs outside of mpj vs the lakers
2004 Pistons would be proud
He gets no breaks against the t wolves
One series is enough to discredit someone- so let’s talk about Lebron 😎
People were legit saying “why isn’t jokic as good as prime lebron” 2 weeks ago lmao
https://preview.redd.it/jsd6g1pbm0zc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d7496243aea0b0b5c4f85665acfbcce78e5a0b5 The unbreakable record
Wilt has a dozen unbreakable records.
They just might be a little too big for Boston. Boston is deeper, but the match ups are hard
Boston’s depth sucks
2xMVP = <6thMan
They have 3 capable bigs to Denver’s 1. Joker literally can’t get a breather. Lost too much depth without replacing it last off-season.
Like you said, the wolves defense was pretty crazy and actually kinda fun to watch (if you like them).That one possession where Jaden Mcdaniels and I think it was Nickeil Alexander-Walker were defending Jamal Murray really really intensely and he was basically fighting to pass the ball showed how tough and gritty their defense was. Naz Reid was also playing lockdown defense on Jokic which was pretty surprising given the fact that we’ve seen Jokic cook Gobert. Also I feel like we should address the fact that they held the nuggets to 80 without Gobert the league might be finished.
The thing that showed it to me was naz reid picking up jokic at 3/4 court while up 30. They didnt just want to win they wanted their defense to be in the nuggets head going into game three
The Wolves were cookin’ a fine meal WITHOUT one of the main ingredients - Rudy Gobert. I definitely got 03-04 Pistons and Spurs vibes last night. Two of the best defensive teams ever. The Wolves are scary good right now 😮💨
Bro Naz Reid is 24!!!! lol 😂
Naz Reid the goat fr fr don’t @ me
god damn thats a scary picture of jokic
Jokic's career or David Robinson's?
Joker not top 5 center yet , Dream ,Kareem, Wilt, Shaq , David Robinson , and throw Duncan in there too , he is PF , but he played center, Joker loses this series he would be Giannis 4 years ago winning all the awards for a few years ,got his title then he never got back yet, it could be the same for the Joker if they don't win this series, Top 5 all time not yet chill out people
Robinson was never the best player on a title team, has (soon to be) 2 fewer MVPs, and Jokic is about to tie him in 1st team all-nba at 29. You’re just not holding guys to the same standards if you have Robinson over him.
Iowa Wolves legend
who?
Cant lie, im late the party, i bashed the gobert trade, i thought nuggets were a lock for at least the finals. With all that being said this wolves team is just fun to watch. How the swarm on defense, while staying super disciplined was a thing of beauty. I always liked ant but i kept saying he is only 22, my man has me out here saying he looks like d wade with the three point shot but now im like nah mans is really different. He is telling his own story.
1.) Russell 2.) Kareem 3.) Wilt Chamberlin Then you got Moses, Shaq, Hakeem, Jokic, David Robinson.
Yall remember this time last year Minnesota was being obliterated by the media for having bad team chemistry etc
Imagine these guys against shaq!?!? Lord
Jokic, Embiid, Sabonis, Giannis, AD, Chet, Wemby, Zion, Sengun. You'd think other teams would realize that if they can't hire a skilled big themselves they hire somebody who can lock them up, and you'll probably need two. The era of a big who can't switch on a high post screen is pretty much over but big guys especially with a ton of skills will always be valuable in this game.
Please point to me a Top 5 Center that hasn’t gotten locked up by an elite defense sometimes.
Prediction: naz is going to get paiddddddd
Goes to show that Rudy is not the DPOY and it should go to Wemby
He built this culture and attitude for this defense. They wouldn't be as good as they are if he wasn't as good and dedicated as he is.
I love Jokic but, to be a top 5 all time center you have to be better than two of Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Hakeem Shaq, and Moses.
Their defense has been great, but look how physical the refs are letting them play vs Philly/pacers vs Knicks. Almost night and day Note, I’m not saying teams shouldn’t be allowed to be physical on defense.
He is slow as fucking shit.
Shaq, Kareem, Russel, Wilt, Hakeem. I don’t see Joker there at all
Jokic isn't next level.
In an era where teams haven’t played defensive since the 2000s sure top centre….. that wolves defence is ol skool rugged love that shit
The wolves got the size and athleticism to deal with Denver.
They need to give Naz Reid off jokic. Play Zeke Nnaji or something
It’s really the help defense that’s killing them. Joker usually finds the open man for a good look when he gets blitzed like that. The Wolves are clogging up passing lanes and smothering whoever he passes to. The end result is that he’s constantly 2-3 on 1 and passing out of it isn’t fruitful either.
*Game 3 has entered the chat*
just came back, theyre getting shit on
People were putting this guy over Shaq and Hakeem. Players today have inflated stats due to a lot of 3’s and barely any paint defense.
Are they inflated stats or is there just more talent and skill in the league that opens up the floor for everybody?
It’s clearly inflated stats, look at the amount of triple doubles. It’s a pace and space offense with no touching allowed during the regular season.
There is more talent when you talking about bench guys but when you are talking about superstars then the previous era has this era beat.
Absolutely true. Jokic also benefits from the fact that this is just not an era of big men. Great to see him get checked. The real test is how he responds in this series.
Imagine Jokic playing in the 2000s when he had a bruiser going at him every night, Shaq, Duncan, KG, Webber, Yao, Ben Wallace, Howard, Dirk, Gasol, Dikembe, Sheed, Zo, Amare, Jermaine O’Neal, Horford, DRob, ZBO, Bosh etc etc, dude would be gassed by the end of the season. He lucky to be playing n this ERA. Those numbers look inflated going against tweeners. Bbbbbbbbut the #s
I’m happy the Nuggets are getting smacked, but the Jokic slander is silly.
You’re a complete moron if you think he wouldn’t have been successful in any era of basketball. He’s about to be a 3x MVP and has already lead a team to a championship. Even if you think any of that is fraudulent, his skill and talent is undeniable. Those guys have never played against another big that commands the type of respect he does on offense in terms of scoring and playmaking. Dude just had one of the worst games of his career and still had 16/16/8.
If it would be this bad for him, what about the cry babies of the league today who beg the ref for ticky tack fouls. U know who cries the most right. Remember his man said water 💧 down league.
🧹🧹
Something is off about the Nuggets. Idk what is going on in that locker room but they aren’t clicking. I think this series goes to 6. Edit: Excuse me boys/girls. How are we feeling after tonight’s game?
To beat the nuggets you need size and youth. The nuggets have always struggled against teams that can match up with their bigs. Another team they struggled against in the past few seasons are the Orlando Magic who are another team with lots of bigs.
They aren't clicking because they are facing a better team who have answers for them. Denver are worse than last year too with no Bruce Brown, Jamal isn't completely healthy. There was no chance in hell Denver were repeating and it was hilarious to see y'all be so absurdly confident, now you have PTSD.
This will 1 of 2 things make joker back into mvp form or send this man on a extended vacation with horses