2 Nuggets who need to show up for them to close out the Timberwolves in game 6

Christian Braun

Braun got some run for the Nuggets during their title run last year and the team hoped he would take a leap and become a reliable sixth man this season. He’s had an up-and-down year overall, but hasn’t really taken that role and instilled confidence in Nuggets fans.

He’s also been a bit of a roller coaster in these playoffs, disappearing in some games and looking invisible in others. But during the past few games, Braun has been excellent and has given the Nuggets a huge spark off the bench. 

Not only is he hitting shots, but Braun has provided a level of speed and energy that the Nuggets don’t usually have. He’s been flying up and down the court, pushing the ball in transition, and cutting to the hoop for layups and dunks.

But perhaps more than any of that, Braun has surprisingly been the Nuggets’ best defender on Anthony Edwards. Ant gave the Nuggets all kinds of problems earlier in this series and quickly showed that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is too small to guard him and Aaron Gordon is too slow.

But Braun has done an incredible job of staying with Edwards and slowing him down the past few games. He’s making him work and has the perfect combination of size and speed to make Ant look human.

Nobody is expecting Braun - or anyone - to completely shut down Edwards, but if he can keep making life difficult for Ant while giving the Nuggets an offensive spark off the bench, the team will be tough to beat.