In theory, you’d think that having one of the best defenders of the era, who plays the same position as Nikola Jokic, would be an advantage for the Timberwolves in their series with the Nuggets, but that may not be the case at all. When the Wolves knocked Denver out of the playoffs in 2024, they famously employed a two-big lineup, which had Karl-Anthony Towns guarding Jokic and Rudy Gobert roaming off shooters, protecting the rim.
That strategy worked wonders, but the personnel has changed in Minnesota, and with KAT now in New York, the Wolves had Rudy matched up with the Joker for most of Game One. Gobert is clearly their best option, and he held Jokic relatively in check, but the result was a parade to the rim and open shooters all over the court.
Look at the space that Denver is operating with in transition—in five-out with screens on both sides of the floor—while Nikola Jokić handles the ball. pic.twitter.com/4VnjUME8h2
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) April 18, 2026
The Nuggets shot just 44% from the field and 26% from three, yet they still put up 116 points and secured the Game One victory. With even slightly better shooting luck, the Nuggets would’ve cruised to 140 points, and this one would have been a laugher.
The Wolves need to make some changes, but there’s no clear solution. They need Gobert’s rim protection, a staple of their team that has helped build an elite defense, but they can’t afford to let Jokic go crazy either.
Wolves must get creative with guarding Jokic
In 2024, the Wolves had the perfect team to match up with Denver, and that team is clearly no longer intact. KAT’s replacement, Julius Randle, doesn’t have the size or physicality to keep up with the Joker, but it may be their best bet. Randle can at least try to battle, and then they’ll have Rudy lurking behind him.
Jokic will eat in the paint and the midrange, but forcing him to beat them by scoring 40 points on floaters may be the lesser of multiple evil options. If you leave the rim open and let Jokic pick you apart, it’s not going to end well. Even if Rudy is their best one-on-one option, it’s not a viable solution.
Nikola Jokić's middy — an incredibly important shot for Denver's playoff run pic.twitter.com/zng8n0mDCL
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) April 18, 2026
Making Jokic a scorer has worked for teams in the past, and that’s likely what the Wolves will turn to. Beyond Randle, they can throw big wing defenders at him like Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson, and they bring Naz Reid off the bench, who can use his size and strength.
In reality, those are all mismatches for Jokic, but so is just about everyone in the league. They’re not going to stop him, so they might as well at least lean into their strengths on the rest of the court. Gobert is an elite rim protector, and they have excellent perimeter defenders. Their best option is probably to impose their strengths and see if they can get the Nuggets out of their comfort zone.
It’s a lot easier said than done, and there’s a good chance that Denver has the necessary counterpunches for anything Minnesota throws their way. But it’s clear after one game, they’ve got to try something else. And this seems like the obvious low-hanging fruit for Chris Finch and his staff.
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