Wolves vs Nuggets

[bdonovan]

This series is a clinic for those who want to understand what team defense looks like in the NBA.

Thinking Basketball had a segment on this for the Wolves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvEpuhVta_4&t=608s

Both teams play exceptional defense that consists of two key areas:

1. Stay with your man
2. Help, intelligently

#1 sounds easy but very few teams besides the Celtics, Timberwolves and Nuggets do it consistently. Too often star players esp. use the defense to rest. They play "improvised zone" and hang out in the middle of nowhere, pretending to offer "help" defense but actually just breaking their team's defense.

#2 is illustrated by the video posted. Some teams like the Warriors over-help and this also breaks the defense. You don't always need to help and thereby leave your man open. Many teams under-help, just assuming it's none of their business.

The Timberwolves are brilliant to watch since their coach hasn't gotten near 100% buy in to lock in on defense. McDaniels, Gobert, Edwards, Conley, Reid have all bought in (and KAT maybe 75%).

You do not understand basketball if you don't understand what Gobert brings to this team. Seriously, you are a casual fan. You can't watch the game and not understand how his presence affects what the Nuggets can do inside. This is particularly the case because guys like McDaniels, Conley and Edwards slow the ball-handler down to a crawl. By the time the Nuggets ball-handler comes to the rim: he has slowed down and can't make the crafty move needed to get around Gobert. His rim protection becomes all the more lethal against a diminished ball-handler.

We all rightly resent the crazy Frenchmen for giving us Covid years ago, but his ability to boost the Wolves far surpasses his role on Utah primarily because his Wolves teammates slow the prey down for him in a way Donovan Mitchell and crew never bothered to do.

Aaron Gordon is the beneficiary of much of the Nuggets motion offense, that often comes from Jokic. Gordon had under 10 points and Jokic had seven (7!) turnovers. Much of this comes from the chaos Minn. causes at the basket. Slowed down by Minn. front-court, once they get to the basket, they see Gobert or KAT and realize they can't get it over the rim protectors. They have to kick the ball out and reset.

That McDaniels was useless on offense doesn't detract from his defensive contribution. Both him and Edwards are 100% committed on defense- they will run as much as they have to stay on their man, dart around screens, refuse attempted forced switches by the opposition, and never give up on the play, often catching back up with their man and blocking or altering the shot.

Jokic was reduced to 44% shooting while KAT and ANT had 60% range shooting. Wolves are one of the best screening teams I've seen. You are going to run into one or more walls on the perimeter. It just makes it that much harder to stop someone like ANT.

Anyone saying this is Murray's fault isn't playing with a full deck. Murray and Jokic both shot in the 40-45% with Murray having a higher true shooting %. Murray wasn't the one with 7 turnovers.

The Nuggets benefitted from home cooking the way all playoff home teams do. That they lost despite it does not bode well. The Wolves were up 10 points or so at the end; the Nuggets made it look closer in garbage time.

Nuggets needs adjustments. They may have to use the 3 point shot more often to force the spread out the Wolves' defense. Today Jokic only 2-9 from 3 pt range; but that is a good way to get the Wolves bigs out of the paint.

[BarberSchool]

Can anyone recommend any other, even more detail intense channels, similar to :

Bball Breakdown

Thinking Basketball

?

Especially ones hosted by former NCAA coaches / assistants ?

Or even any truly great “young fratello” czar of the telustrator type channels ?

[NBAGOAT]

Can anyone recommend any other, even more detail intense channels, similar to :

Bball Breakdown

Thinking Basketball

?

Especially ones hosted by former NCAA coaches / assistants ?

Or even any truly great “young fratello” czar of the telustrator type channels ?

Hoop venue is pretty overlooked. Only bad thing is he always tries to look at upside so doesn’t really criticize guys.