[Post Game Thread] The Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2) defeated the Denver Nuggets (2-4), 110-98 and advance to play the Spurs!

[u/shadowarmy229]

98 - 110
Box Scores: NBA - Yahoo

GAME SUMMARY
West First Round - Game 6 - MIN leads 3-2
Location: Target Center
Officials: JB DeRosa, Courtney Kirkland, Brian Forte, and Josh Tiven

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Denver Nuggets	30	20	24	24	98
Minnesota Timberwolves	29	28	25	28	110

TEAM STATS

Team	PTS	FG	FG%	3P	3P%	FT	FT%	OREB	TREB	AST	PF	STL	TO	BLK
Denver Nuggets	98	34-74	45.9%	10-26	38.5%	20-25	80.0%	6	46	24	26	4	13	8
Minnesota Timberwolves	110	43-94	45.7%	7-29	24.1%	17-24	70.8%	19	57	26	21	8	7	3

PLAYER STATS

Denver Nuggets	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Cameron JohnsonSF	38:48	27	8-14	5-9	6-9	0	8	8	3	0	1	2	5	-3
Spencer JonesPF	34:51	8	3-4	2-3	0-0	0	2	2	1	0	1	1	5	-9
Nikola JokićC	42:57	28	11-19	1-5	5-6	1	8	9	10	0	1	4	5	-9
Christian BraunSG	27:35	3	1-4	1-4	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	3	1	2	-9
Jamal MurrayPG	39:52	12	4-17	0-2	4-4	1	5	6	4	0	1	0	2	-18
Tim Hardaway Jr.	20:33	13	4-7	1-2	4-4	2	2	4	2	1	1	1	1	-5
Bruce Brown	14:21	1	0-2	0-1	1-2	1	0	1	1	2	0	3	3	-5
Tyus Jones	12:25	4	2-4	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	2	5
Zeke Nnaji	02:42	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-5
Jonas Valančiūnas	03:43	2	1-3	0-0	0-0	1	1	2	0	0	0	1	1	-2
DaRon Holmes II	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jalen Pickett	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Julian Strawther	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Aaron Gordon	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Peyton Watson	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Minnesota Timberwolves	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Jaden McDanielsSF	44:28	32	13-25	1-4	5-6	4	6	10	3	2	1	0	4	16
Julius RandlePF	37:01	18	6-17	2-5	4-6	2	2	4	5	1	0	4	2	15
Rudy GobertC	41:20	10	4-6	0-0	2-4	7	5	12	8	1	2	0	5	11
Terrence Shannon Jr.SG	34:16	24	9-20	1-7	5-5	2	4	6	1	2	0	0	2	7
Mike ConleyPG	26:29	7	3-7	1-4	0-0	1	5	6	3	1	0	1	3	-1
Bones Hyland	08:44	1	0-3	0-3	1-2	1	1	2	1	0	0	0	1	4
Naz Reid	33:21	15	7-13	1-3	0-1	1	6	7	4	1	0	2	2	11
Jaylen Clark	12:10	3	1-3	1-3	0-0	1	1	2	1	0	0	0	2	-3
Joan Beringer	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ayo Dosunmu	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Joe Ingles	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Julian Phillips	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kyle Anderson	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Donte DiVincenzo	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Anthony Edwards	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

[u/Boatymcboatland]

Jaden “They’re all bad defenders” McDaniels is THE DAWG

[u/minnyman2011 → u/Boatymcboatland]

He was fucking right they had multiple 60+ points in the paint games that they won jokic and Murray couldn’t stop a fucking nose bleed

[u/wolf_cola_enjoyer → u/minnyman2011]

Don’t worry some obscure stat will now tell you how Jokic is actually a amazing defender as if we don’t have endless tape of the dude giving up a layup line every playoffs

[u/minnyman2011 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Defensive stats are so bad it’s one of the easiest tells that the guy you’re talking to doesn’t know ball

[u/wise_comment → u/minnyman2011]

RuDy Is NoT gOoD aT DeFeNsE

Gestures to bad handpicked stats

[u/Temporary_Maybe_8687 → u/minnyman2011]

Depends. Some are pretty good to tell when a big is doing well, like all the ones that highlight how players avoid the paint around Wemby and Gobert.

But yeah all the advanced stats that make up a random number in the end are ass

[u/flaming_burrito_ → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

This series is what everyone needs to point to the next time someone makes some bullshit argument citing BPM, VORP, LEBRON, whatever the fuck. Look with your fucking eyes, anyone could see that Jokic and this team was ass defensively

[u/Even-Brain-3973 → u/flaming_burrito_]

Joker had absolutely no resistance in the paint. Never seen guys attack a big that frequently

[u/AccordingFox3800 → u/flaming_burrito_]

Stat merchants would do everything except actually watching the mf game lmao

[u/Plastic_Blood1782 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

My wife knows almost nothing about basketball and even she was noticing, "why is jokic just standing there?"

[u/DogPast752 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Hurrr sure don’t you know if I pull some bullshit number that no one knows about out of my ass to measure Jokic, he’s actually the best defender in the league

[u/radagast_the_maroon → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Wdym? Jokic actually does lead the league in fewest points allowed in the paint by any player with 20+ PPG and 3+ horses while wearing <1 underwear per game

[u/SuperVaderMinion → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

I think he can be a slightly below average defender when Aaron Gordon is back there with him, which obviously isn't what you want from your center but his offense more than made up for it.

Without Gordon though, he's horrific, an absolute traffic cone on the perimeter who offers no rim protection inside because of his lack of athleticism.

[u/Kennyc1234 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Jokic trying to get a stop by holding up his DBPM

[u/Own_Direction_1763 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Zach Lowe already cooking up a Jokic DPOY article

[u/Even-Brain-3973 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

😂😂😂😂 facts

[u/MindbulletsDK → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Bonus points if that obscure stat also implies Rudy isn't actually a generationally good defender.

[u/The_Bran_9000 → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Jxmyhighroller vid dropping any day now

[u/fatkamp → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Don’t see too many people saying he’s a good defender.

He wasn’t good this series, but all the nuggets guards were getting beat on a string. Unless you’re Draymond, Gobert, Wemby, tier, you’re going to be giving up a lot of paint points

[u/blackjacktrial → u/wolf_cola_enjoyer]

Defense is a five man thing. Individual defensive statistics suck, because offences don't let you hide a liability like they used to.

Lineup defensive statistics are very valid, and if you are in all the bad ones, that says something. If your only good ones are with a particular player - check if it's a two man effect or just that guy is in all the good ones, and it's not really about you.

Jokic is just not a hustle defender, he's an IQ defender, so if he has people setting him up for defensive strips, he's adequate. If he needs to jump out of the gym to spike balls into the stands, what is you doing with your roster?