Livid Nuggets coach Michael Malone charges at ref during heated moment in Game 2 vs Timberwolves

Thankfully for Denver’s sake, Malone did not receive a technical foul. His frustration is a manifestation of the Nuggets’ struggles against the two-way force of the Timberwolves.

Denver came off a striking 106-99 Game 1 loss to Minnesota, which was propelled by a Michael Jordan-esque performance from Anthony Edwards. Edwards ended the night with 43 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Edwards was not the only one giving Denver trouble though. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 20 points, and Mike Conley Jr. notched a 14-point-10-assist double-double. While Minnesota’s offense clicked, their defense is what gave them an upper hand.

The combined efforts of Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and the rest of the Timberwolves held Denver’s star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray at bay. Jokic finished the night with a “modest” 32 points, nearly amassing a triple-double with nine assists and eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, Murray totaled 17 points. Shockingly, the star guard was held scoreless during the first half. Minnesota’s defense is one of the toughest in the NBA, so Murray’s down production is understandable, but he must be better if Denver does not want to slide down a hole.

Hopefully, the Nuggets can gather themselves and regain momentum in this intense second-round matchup.

Nuggets must find a way to overcome Timberwolves defense

Jamal Murray has struggled to get things going early in the series. He failed to score during the first half of Game 1. Eventually, he got things going and needed the matchup with 17 points, but Denver needs more if they want to succeed. Michael Malone and company must find a way to get the star guard heated up.

This is not the first time the star guard has had problems with Minnesota’s defense. The Nuggets played the Timberwolves four times during the 2023-24 regular season and split the series 2-2. Murray reached the 20-point mark in just one of the games: the 116-110 April 10th victory. In the two other matchups, he scored 14 and 18 points.

The defining factor in Murray’s 20-point game from the April 10th win was Nikola Jokic’s 40-point night. Perhaps the answer to Murray’s problems is a better night from Jokic. The bar might sound high, but if Jokic can score 40 points or more and put even more pressure on the Timberwolves’ defense than he already is, Murray might be able to have a better scoring night.

Hopefully, the referee altercation from Game 2 does not take the Nuggets too much out of their element. They have what it takes to overcome their series deficit and compete with Minnesota.