3 Points of Emphasis for a Denver Nuggets win against Minnesota
Keep an eye on Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t a full-blown superstar. However, no human being with two eyes and a brain can deny the capability Towns possess on offense. It’s funny what shooting a few more three-point shots a game can do for your stats.
Stephen Curry‘s 2014-2015 performance is deemed as the catalyst for the Golden State guard’s superstardom. The three-point attempts, as well as the conversions, stand out over time. Ironically, Towns is attempting.04 more three-point field goals per contest this season than Curry’s 2015 MVP season.
Dirk Nowitzki, the ultimate pioneer of bigs stretching the floor, doesn’t come close to the volume of Towns’ perimeter shooting. It’s almost as if the Minnesota center is allergic to the paint. The past two seasons indicate an absolute shift in Towns’ approach on offense.
Nikola Jokic, can’t afford lazy closeouts on perimeter shots. The Serbian center’s assignment comes as a double-edged sword. Between the three-point shooting, and the success within 0-3 feet spells trouble for the Nuggets’ defense.
Furthermore, putting the Nuggets’ dilemma in perspective, Towns shoots 30 percent of his attempts within three feet and finishes a remarkable 72 percent. Although not quite undergoing a full evolution, Towns inches closer to a shooting guard with center-finishing ability.
Encourage Andrew Wiggins to takeover
For all the problems that Towns’ shooting causes for the Denver Nuggets on defense, the rest of the Minnesota Timberwolves roster isn’t scaring the second-best defense. Aside from Karl-Anthony Towns, the rest of the roster is a wash.
Andrew Wiggins’s performance this season equates to getting your food through the drive-thru, thinking you have everything, only to realize they forgot your fries, and the rest of your order is cold. November was the last time Wiggins produced at a hot meal level.
During the eight-game slide, Wiggins flips from capable offensive weapon to a black hole on offense. In November, Wiggins’ offense somewhat evolved by producing more assists. However, as of late, his creation for others has since regressed.
Furthermore, the once-high prized wing continues to struggle from deep, shooting an abysmal 28.9 three-point percentage for the last eight games. Wiggins, reminiscent of a fading pop star desperately attempting to stick with the young performers, keeps the offense from escaping NBA purgatory.
The more Wiggins attempts to take over the game, the higher the chance Denver continues wins the game. Towns, for all the offensive talent, doesn’t possess the power of transforming his team into an adequate, and Wiggins into a nice hot plate of good basketball.
Put Karl-Anthony Towns in the two-man cycle
Besides Paul Millsap‘s 14-point third quarter, the two-man game between Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray deserves credit for besting the Orlando Magic last Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns, as mentioned earlier, can’t stop up a kitchen sink.
Going by both the eye test and advanced metrics, Towns is a mess on defense, which ultimately renders Minnesota a putrid defensive unit. As a “leader” of the team, Towns must excel on both sides of the court, or at least attempt to defend at an adequate level.
The two-man team of Jokic and Murray create a problem for the Wolves, firstly, foul trouble, secondly, missing on defensive rebounds, one of the few elements on the defensive end of which he excels.
Coach Michael Malone has a chance to cripple the Timberwolves by taking Towns out of the game strategically. Whether it’s forcing Towns to close out on Jokic three-point shots or falling back for a Murray roll, the two-man cycle has multiple side effects.
Cleaning the Glass ranks Towns in the bottom-two percentile for opponent’s effective field goal percentage. Towns, although built like a beast, doesn’t blow many houses down with his futile defensive efforts.