The Denver Nuggets were the best three-point shooting team in the NBA this season. They led the league in five different three-point metrics and they were the best team at 39.6% from downtown. And this time, against the Timberwolves, the Nuggets have a clear advantage from three-point range that they hope can be a difference maker against Minnesota.
The Nuggets are the most efficient three-point team in the NBA, but in 2023-24, they ranked 10th at 37.4%, while the Timberwolves ranked 3rd at 38.7%. A small advantage for the Wolves, but an advantage nonetheless.
The Nuggets slipped against the Wolves, shooting just 35.3% in the series, but went ice cold in games 6 and 7, at 19.4% and 24.2%, respectively. It was the nail in the coffin for the series.
But now, the Nuggets are filled with sharpshooters, and they're in a better position offensively than the last time the two teams met.
The Nuggets are loaded on the perimeter
The Nuggets' three-point shooting is historic. Over the season, they had 10 different players shoot 38% or better from three on at least 100 attempts. No other team had more than eight shoot that well in a season.
The Nuggets were led by Jamal Murray, who made a franchise record 245 threes this year, at a blistering 43.5%, tops on the team and 7th in the NBA. He was followed by Tim Hardaway Jr. with 224 made threes, who shot 40.7% off the bench. For both players, both marks are career highs.
Cameron Johnson also had a career year from three-point range. He was eighth, right behind Murray, at 43.0%. Peyton Watson shot 41.1%, and Aaron Gordon shot 38.9%.
The only true weakness on the perimeter was Christian Braun. He shot only 30.1%. He needs to step that up, or the Wolves could force the ball to Braun more and let him shoot.
But the Nuggets could swap him out early if he doesn't get going with Julian Strawther or Bruce Brown, who both shot about 8% better than Braun from three.
Jokic shot poorly from three once his wrist deal popped up
When Nikola Jokic returned from his knee injury at the end of January, all seemed well. But he had an issue with his wrist that kept popping up, not enough to keep him out, but enough to cause his three-point shot to suffer.
Jokic is shooting 38% on the season, but he's a tale of two halves. Pre All-Star break, Jokic shot 42% from three. After the All-Star break, that number dropped to just 31.6%, the worst among the team's full-time rotation players.
However, Jokic is finding the open players, and they're knocking them down at an insane clip. The Nuggets just need to knock them down more when the series is on the line this time.
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