Timberwolves most to blame for disappointing Game 3 blowout loss to Nuggets

Blowout losses cannot be attributed to a single player. Rather, the Timberwolves have to improve upon these aspects of their game so they could bounce back and put up a much better effort come Sunday night.

Timberwolves’ offense was in disarray

Offense was never the strong suit of this iteration of the Timberwolves. (They ranked 17th in offensive rating this past season.) Sure, they have Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns as the team’s foundational pieces on that end of the floor. But on the defensive end is where they butter their bread.

Alas, basketball is a two-way sport, and a collapse on one end can lead to difficulties on the other. Simply put, the Timberwolves couldn’t find the on switch of their offense after they shot 51.2 percent from the field in the first two games of the series.

In the first half, the Timberwolves struggled to put the ball through the hoop, while the Nuggets played with more conviction on both ends of the floor. Minnesota shot 39.5 percent from the field in the first half as they fell behind by 15, and the Nuggets embraced the challenge of becoming more physical, matching the Timberwolves’ style of play.

In Game 2, the Timberwolves greased the wheels of their offense thanks to some timely shot-making from three from the likes of Naz Reid, Mike Conley, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. But the Nuggets’ rotations and closeouts were more on point, and the Timberwolves couldn’t replicate their efficient output from beyond the arc in the first two games that made it easier for them to drive to the paint.

Rudy Gobert’s return was more than welcome, but in Game 3, his defensive impact did not make up for how he allowed the Nuggets to pack the paint. Gobert gives vertical spacing, but the Timberwolves’ inability to get to the rim consistently did not allow them to utilize their size advantage on the interior.

Putting the ball through the hoop is an underrated part of defense. It allows teams to set up and slow the game down. But when you’re not making too many shots, and on top of it, you’re turning the ball over on live-ball possessions, then putting a stop on an offense that puts a premium on efficiency like the Nuggets’ does was going to be next to impossible.

Too much defensive help?

The Timberwolves have caught the attention of analysts for how elite their defense has been throughout the 2024 NBA playoffs. Their rotations are on point; even though they allow dribble penetration on a few possessions, their size allows them to deter their opponents from shooting from up close, and their connectedness on that end allows them to contest the threes they give up.

But on Friday night, the Nuggets dug deep and matched the Timberwolves’ physicality. It became a point of emphasis for Nikola Jokic to set some bone-crushing screens to help free up Jamal Murray, and Murray became comfortable in driving to the lane. Murray’s confidence grew, and the Nuggets’ lead along with it.

By the third quarter, the Timberwolves tried to pack the paint, trusting their defense to close out on shooters like they usually do as they attempted to mount a comeback. Instead, all they did was overhelp. They allowed one open three after another, which the Nuggets capitalized on to seal the game with 12 minutes to go.

With Rudy Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, manning the middle, there’s not much reason for the Timberwolves to send extra bodies towards the paint. It just so happens that Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will inevitably get theirs, as that’s what stars do. Minnesota has to trust in their gameplan and not overreact too much to the Nuggets’ made baskets.