Denver Nuggets Labeled As Team Full of ‘Bad Defenders’ by Timberwolves’ Forward

The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves fought to a stalemate after the first two games of their NBA first-round series. After the Nuggets dominated Game 1, the Timberwolves leaned on their physicality and capitalized on the Nuggets’ woeful containment in Game 2 to tie the series. 

When asked about the offensive keys in Game 2, Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels took a shot at the Nuggets, labeling their core players as bad defenders worthy of attacking. 

“Go at (Nikola) Jokic, Jamal (Murray), all the bad defenders,” he said with a stoic look, before listing all the Nuggets’ role players. “Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, the whole team. They’re all bad defenders. They’re all just bad defenders.”

Anthony Edwards scored 30 points while Julius Randle had 24 points for the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves also had 52 points in the paint, compared to the Nuggets’ 40. 

Nikola Jokic is designated as the Nuggets’ rim protector, while multi-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is the one who mans the paint for the Timberwolves. 

According to McDaniels, the Nuggets do not have any capable rim protectors on their roster, making it easy for the Timberwolves to touch the paint and create scoring opportunities. 

“They don’t have people who can defend the rim, and if there is, we are still more athletic than them,” he said. “Just got to be able to finish when you do…If you break the paint, you got a shot, or somebody is going to be open.”

McDaniels put up 14 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field. All of his field goals came as a 2-pointer. 

McDaniels took the defensive role against Jamal Murray, who had 23 points in the first half but only notched seven more in the second half. Meanwhile, the three-time MVP Jokic missed crucial floater and one-handers against Gobert down the stretch. 

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Six Players Scored in Double Digits for the Timberwolves Against the Nuggets

The Timberwolves found numerous offensive hubs throughout Game 2 as six players put up double-digit numbers en route to the win. 

Aside from Edwards, Randle, and McDaniels, Donte DiVicenzo also recorded 16 points, including timely triples in the final quarter. The team also got scoring production from Naz Reid, who had 11 points, and Bones Hyland, a former Nuggets guard, tallied 13 markers. 

Ayo Dosunmu also chipped in nine points off the bench for Minnesota, keeping the offensive engine going for the team when some of their main options sat out. 

The Timberwolves outscored the Nuggets in bench points, 33-23. 

Nuggets-Timberwolves Series Now Shifts to Minnesota

After two games in Denver, the series will now go to Minnesota in what many expect to be a raucous environment, similar to their former playoff games in the city. 

Game 3 is scheduled at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, April 23, at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Both squads are expected to parade the same lineup for the next game. It will be available via Prime Video. 

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